Miss E. F. Chawner—The History of A 1



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day and night temperature of 80 degrees at the lowest, they might all

have lived, but this I could not do and C 3 and B 2, as the weakling and

his rather sturdier brother were named, soon went to another and, I

hope, a better place. A 1 had made his mind up to live, though he

had his ups and downs. His favourite food at this stage was cold

boiled rice of all chilly things ! However, he ate this when he refused

everything else and grew on it.


After a month or so he found that his beak was strong enough to

crack sunflower seed and he lived on this and pea-nuts with a slice of

apple daily all through his first winter. More than once he nearly died

from a chill, during which he refused food and if he could be persuaded

to swallow some dainty soon vomited it, but somehow or other he

managed to survive and by spring his fluff was hidden under green

feathers, though the mutilated wings never really recovered. He

developed fancies and “ ways ” of his own, became devoted to his

owner, tyrannized over the household, and openly disdained the rest

of the world. He was never caged, though he had and still has his

“ house ” into which he retires when the world is too much with him

or when strangers are about. He hates visitors and goes grumblingly

inside, occasionally looking cautiously round the corner to see if they

are still there ; he celebrates their going with various queer sounds, for

he has never learnt to talk, which lack, however, does not prevent

him from making his wishes plain.


In hot weather he sits in his favourite apple tree most of the day

“ pruning ” its small branches and amusing himself by biting off

immature apples and watching them fall. He usually comes down

when called, but sometimes the gardener has to climb to fetch him.

We think on those occasions he has climbed too high and is afraid to

venture down. He eats young twigs with relish. His diet is curiously

varied : he loves to soak a piece of dry bread in his water mouthful by

mouthful, keeps watch on the vegetables when they come to table,

and expects a share of peas, beans, young carrots cooked or raw, cauli¬

flower, and occasionally cabbage. He adores hot soup and has his

own little pot every evening. Cooked egg in all forms is a favourite,

Quaker oats raw or cooked ; most kinds of fruit are accepted, but he

will only take orange when he feels rather “ low 55 moulting. Poppy



