My Two Pets. 
It was a beautiful morning in May when 
L and myself started out with the distinct! 
view of making a new acquaintance. We had 
carefully located our destination several days 
previous, and judged that it was time for the 
harvest. A few minutes’ walk brought us to 
the outskirts of the city. At the forks of the 
roads, in a small pine tree particularly ex- 
posed to the view of all who passed, .was a 
rustic home. Father and mother had evidently 
let their pride overcome their usual cautious 
nature. As we approached the spot a dark 
object silently stole away and up popped two 
bright-eyed heads which peered down curi- 
ously at us with an expression that seemed to 
say, Well, what are you two chaps up to? 
L , who was the expert, climbed up in a 
manner that would have done credit to his 
undeveloped ancestors, and amid protestations 
that made the welkin ring from above, and 
excited cautions to point them the right way 
from below, dropped them in succession into 
the outstretched hands of the writer. Placing 
them in a basket we retraced our steps. A 
temporary home was made by suspending an 
old basket from a tree about four feet from 
the ground. Once domiciled our attention 
was occupied to their entertainment. During 
the next four weeks we fed them continuously 
on cooked meal, sawdust, and everything in 
the line of insect life we could obtain: “in 
those days we had little idea of the value of 
entomological collections”; and our many 
friends who called would occasionally drop in 
marbles, jackknives and tops into their eter- 
nally opened receptacles. Such appetites! It 
was simply marvelous. They seemed to lead 
a charmed life, and each experiment produced 
but one result — a squawk for more. As the 
days passed their ambition developed from 
standing tiptoe in the centre of the basket to 
balancing on the edge, till one day it culmin- 
ated in a tumble to the ground. They became 
very much attached to L and myself. They 
would actually shriek and croak whenever we 
appeared, and their demands required as much 
attention as the running of an ornithological 
magazine. I assure the reader they received 
it, never in a wild state could they have been 
such autocrats. Morning, noon and night it 
was scratch tjravel for them. L retired in 
disgust from the field and I helplessly became 
their slave. As their coats assumed a glossy 
black the primaries of the wings of one became 
a yellowish-white, and led to his being nick- 
named Spot, while the other we called Jack. 
In manners, dispositions and accomplishments 
the one was the reflection of the other. 
Our first morning exercise would consist of 
a visit to the garden. I would lift the leaves 
of the squash vines and pick off the dark three- 
cornered squash bugs “ to me the most detest- 
able form of insect life,” and serve them one 
at a time in turn. To show any partiality 
meant a row. They would never visit the 
vines except in my company, nor help tliem- 
Dec. 1889.] AND OOLOGIST. 
183 
selves to these bugs. When I would retire to , 
the house for breakfast they would repair to 
the flower garden afid amuse themselves by 
picking the flowers, which they would carry 
and lay in symmetrical rows on the concrete 
walk. I have sometimes seen three or four 
dozen blossoms of the dialetra carefully picked j 
and arranged as if done by some child. They i 
never destroyed the flowers and picked but 
one blossom at a time. It often led me to 
wonder if they have a similar taste when in 
their wild state? 
We were at first in fear that the numerous 
cats would make short work of them, but such 
fears were soon quelled. Woe to Thomas 
when be crossed the line. The first appear- 
ance of pussy was a signal for an onslaught 
that would do credit to a Turk. Many a time 
I watched the demonstration with amusement. 
Pussy would evidently be taken by surprise 
and seemed inclined to stand his ground; Jack 
and Spot would start for him, flapping their 
wings and cawing loudly, and without the | 
least hesitation would pitch in. If pussy hesi- 
tated there would be a rough and tumble with 
claws and beaks; it would be entirely one- 
sided, pussy offering no resistance and beating 
a hasty retreat, leaving bunches of fur torn 
from his back. Another object for attack was 
the feet of my barefooted companions; they 
had the advantage and seemed to realize it. 
I of course would not allow my pets to bo hurt 
and it was simply, get toes under cover. Let 
me say just here that they can bite right 
“smart,” when they took hold to puli away 
generally meant that the tip of the bill would 
bring the meat witli it. They never showed 
any disposition to peck at hands or face and 
they never in 'any way pecked at me. 
One day I noticed both engaged in picking 
up small stones which they would carry and 
drop into a hole that had been dug for a post. 
Upon examination 1 found that there was a 
toad in the bottom, upon which they were 
dropping the pebbles. Each time a drop was 
made they would caw in high glee; it was a 
clear case of amusement. They were experts 
at playing catch. I would pick grapes and toss 
to them and they would seldom fail to catch, 
jumping for them when thrown too high. 
On our wash-house were two boxes occupied 
by Swallows. When they had no other en- 
gagements on hand they would perch on these 
boxes for hours at a time, standing guard to 
keep the swallows away. Black was a very ir- 
ritating color to them. It afforded a great 
deal of amusement to us to throw a black hat 
on the ground and watch the result; both 
would commence a walk round. Beginning 
with a twelve-foot circle they would gradually 
close in, all the time making a noisy demon- 
stration, and at the finish would attack the 
despised object. 
They in many ways showed marked signs of 
affection, and I never knew them to quarrel 
(except over squash bugs). If one found any 
food ho would always make it known to the 
other. They wore always together, and would 
play like kittens. Each knew his name and 
when I spoke to them would answer. 
I had heard that if their tongues were split 
they would talk. I could find no one who 
knew about the matter, so concluded to try 
the experiment myself. I cut the cord on the 
under part of the tongue so as to allow them a 
free swing (not splitting). They did not seem 
to mind the operation but as soon as performed 
they both marched about with beaks opened 
and kept shaking their heads. I never suc- 
ceeded in getting them to articulate a word 
but certainly there was a change in their tone. 
At times when a short distance off, they 
sounded like a lot of children jabbering and 
laughing, and from that day their “song” at- 
tracted the attention of the neighbors. 
I never shall forget the first snow-storm they 
experienced. They had been roosting in the 
woodshed. As I opened the door both came 
to the sill, neither would venture out. First 
one would put out his foot, touch the snow 
and quickly withdraw it; then the other would 
try it, and then they would both scold. They 
kept this up for some time and I began to 
think that I should have to throw them out 
myself. Finally one made the break, quickly 
followed by the other, and then the fun com- 
menced. They evidently did not like the feel- 
ing to their feet but were otherwise delighted. 
One would lie down and the other turn him 
over. They would roll, flutter, squawk and 
chase each other in high glee. When the snow 
became deep I again resorted to meal for their 
feed. And now comes the sad ending. When 
they first began to walk they would go to the 
gravel path and pick up small round stones. 
These they would swallow, and after retaining 
them for awhile would eject them, and I could 
see these little piles of stones all over the 
yard. They were evidently used as digesters, 
and when discarded were held together by 
refuse from the stomach. When the ground 
was covered with snow they were unable to 
obtain the stones. I neglected to look out for 
this requirement, and one day in the early 
