Our Letter 
Box. 
(133) THE BIRD WORLD. 
Our Letter Box. 
To the Editor of the Bird World. 
MORE ABOUT “ LITTLE PIP.” 
Sir, —I have been thinking that the younger 
readers of Bird World might perhaps like to 
hear a little more about “ Little Pip,” my pet tame 
Canary. To begin with, I have a secret to tell 
them. He has a sweetheart—none other than his 
own reflection. He chatters away to “ her ” con¬ 
stantly, calling “her” what sounds like “ Lillah 
Lee.” Once, when visiting Bowness, he was so 
overjoyed and excited at meeting “ her” that he 
fell into a basin of soapy water that happened to 
be beneath the meeting place. Fortunately I was 
at hand, quickly rescued him, and wiped the soap 
from his little jacket. He sometimes goes to visit 
his cousins at Clifton, where he meets several 
Canaries and Love-birds, who have a room to them¬ 
selves (an old nursery) to fly about in. He ought 
to be very happy amongst them, but, like a spoilt 
child brought up alone, I fear he is a little un¬ 
sociable. I remember, when first introduced to 
them, he was on my finger, and looked very 
aggressive, as much as to say “ Shall I fight 
them?” I advised him not, as he had to live 
with them a few days. He afterwards became 
friendly with one of the Canaries called “ Tiny,” 
just his own age, but there is one difference between 
them. “ Tiny,” unlike himself, never has any 
“tit-bits,” his mistress not approving of such 
luxuries. Some time ago poor little “ Tiny” met 
with an accident. He had gone to roost on the 
window, which is left open in summer (wire netting 
replacing it), and at night when the window was 
being shut he was not noticed, and somehow his 
little leg got caught and broken ! There was in¬ 
stantly great consternation, for he is as much a pet 
as my “ Little Pip. ” A messenger was sent post¬ 
haste to the Zoo for the bird-keeper, who kindly 
came at once and set the little limb. It was a sad 
time for the little invalid, but he was tenderly- 
nursed and cared for, all the perches removed 
from his cage in case he might attempt to fly 
before the leg was healed, and a bed made for 
him from some wadding. He is now quite well, 
but unfortunately the leg is not quite straight. 
However, he flies about, sings, and seems per¬ 
fectly happy. 
“ Little Pip ” has a funny habit, much indulged 
in now he is getting older, of lucking his little 
legs under him and “ sitting down ” flat on the 
table, on the corner of a chair (by the fire), or on 
the fender. When I am stoning raisins he is very 
fussy, pretending to help, but really watching for 
a bit of the sugar from them, which of course he 
gets, He also likes to “help” me arrange my 
flowers, his part consisting of tasting one or two. 
He once made a mistake and ate one that made 
him sick, but he soon got right again. He loves 
a cherry, and has a fresh one every day. I once 
nearly lost him through a cherry. It was in 
France, where I was visiting a sister. One of her 
little girls, forgetting to first close the long French 
windows of the room, opened his cage door to 
Mrs. Williams and “Little Pip.” 
An example of what can be done by love and 
kindness. 
give him a cherry, when instantly he was out of 
his cage, through the window, and in a tree in the 
garden. I and the whole family rushed out with 
his cage to recapture him, but “ No,” he was not 
willing. “Mr. Pip” found the fresh air too 
pleasant after his long journey from England the 
day before, and in a few minutes he took another 
fly over a wall into a neighbour’s garden. When 
we arrived there we found to our great relief that 
he had flown in through their window, where I 
followed him. As soon as he saw me in the room 
he came prettily on my finger and into his cage, 
not in the least concerned at the fright he had 
given us. He is not so frisky now he is getting 
older, but he is still very fond of being out of 
doors in his cage. I often wish I could take him 
with me in my country walks. I read once that 
in China owners of birds do carry them out with 
them in small cages, and I have seen pictures of 
them doing so—so if I ever go to China I will 
take him with me. When in Egypt last year I 
was delighted to watch the freedom which wild 
birds enjoy there. At Assuan and Luxor they were 
flying in and out of the hotels picking up crumbs 
from the floors of the dining-rooms and settling on 
the beams in the large halls and verandahs, to 
which they had free access, as all the doors and 
windows were open for ventilation. There were 
hundreds among the. huge columns of the ruined 
temples of Karnak and Luxor, and, I am ashamed 
