REASON. 
145 
the slightest signs of fear; but, on the contrary, showed a 
bold front to the enemy. It was now a tremendous 
battle; the oxen charged the bird, seeking evidently to 
transfix him with their horns. He avoided their blows, 
however, with the greatest address, springing either up 
in the air or on one side, and, advancing, greeted one 
and the other with a shower of blows on the head from 
his powerful beak. At last the oxen were beaten, as they 
received blow after blow, without, on their side, having 
been able to return a single one. Thus they lost 
courage; and, feeling themselves worsted, took to flight, 
followed by their victorious adversary. 
“ To us he behaves in the most polite and amiable 
manner. When hungry he generally presents himself 
under my mother’s window, who is exceedingly fond of 
him, and feeds him several times during the day. Here 
he calls : if he is not heard he enters the house, calling 
louder and louder, till at last he takes refuge in the 
kitchen, where he seeks his friend and caterer, the cook, 
to whom he details his requirements. He shows his 
pleasure at her appearance by uttering the familiar cry, 
‘ Coor, coor, coor, coor,’ and makes her understand, by all 
manner of antics, how he wishes to be fed. If he wants 
bits of bread from the hand, which is his principal food, 
he points to it with his beak; should he, however, wish 
to be fed on the floor, he lays a piece down there, and 
then she must throw all the rest there. This bird always 
shows most obedience to my mother and her servant, and 
he misses the latter immediately she is absent, in which 
case he seeks her with the greatest diligence, stealing 
into the house and under her window, listening atten¬ 
tively for the sound of her voice or her footstep, for he 
recognizes the latter from afar. While young the cook 
