424 
PARROT* 
tion towards each other, of which so strong an in- 
stance is related by Bonnet. 
A male and female of the little red-headed spe- 
cies were lodged together in a large square cage. 
The vessel which held their food was placed at the 
bottom. The male usually sat on the same perch 
as the female, and close beside her. Whenever one 
descended for food the other always followed ; and 
when their hunger was satisfied, they returned to- 
gether to the highest perch of the cage. They 
passed four years together in this state of confine- 
ment ; and from their mutual attentions and satis- 
factions, it was evident that a strong affection for 
each other had been excited. At the end of this 
period the female fell into a state of languor, which 
had every appearance of old age ; her legs swelled, 
and knots appeared upon them. It was no longer 
possible for her to descend and take her food as for- 
merly ; but the male assiduously brought it to her, 
carrying it in his bill and delivering it into hers. 
He continued to feed her in this manner with the 
utmost vigilance during four months. The infir- 
mities of his mate, however, increased every day ; 
and at length she became no longer able to sit upon 
the perch : she remained now crouched at the bot- 
tom, and from time to time made a few useless 
efforts to regain the lower perch ; while the male, 
who remained close by her, seconded these her 
feeble attempts with all his power. Sometimes he 
seized with his bill the upper part of her wing ; 
sometimes he took hold of her bill, and attempted 
