6 MAY 1876, Page 14

[TO THE EDITOR OF TUB "SPROTATOR.1

SIR,—" Crippie," a canary-bird (so named from a malformation about the feet), and " Goldie," a goldfinch, live in the same cage. Both feed from the hand, and when I have time in the mornings, I give them three cracked hemp-seeds apiece. They know they are to be fed alternately, and as soon as I have fed one, the other comes to the side of the cage to receive his seed.

One morning, however, "Crippie " was cross, and after taking his seed, when I was about to feed " Goldie," flew on to his perch and drove him to the bottom of the cage. Without taking away the seed, I remonstrated with him on his bad behaviour. He stood looking at it for a while without touching it, then flew down to the bottom. As soon as " Goldie " had flown up and taken the seed, " Crippie," in turn, flew up to his own perch and there waited for another, which he then took without the slightest de- mur. Conscience had overcome his greediness, and had stopped him from eating the hemp-seed, which he knew should be