A BIRD-STORY.
[To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] SIR,—This episode in the life of an Australian bird, received in a letter from Queensland, may be interesting to your readers :—" Since you take an interest in my birds, you may like to know that the jackass has come back, after an absence- of nearly three weeks. One wet evening just before sundown, I heard their voices quite near, and saw two birds on a stump, Looking through the glasses I saw that one of them had a out wing. I went out, and there was my wandering boy, opening his month for his supper, and quite ready to go home with me. The wild birds, however, do not like the arrangement, and one of them has spent almost all her time since (about three days) in trying to get him away again. She is there early and late in the trees near the house and on the posts of the fence, calling and persuading, and he answers her, evidently arguing the matter. When we are all inside, she even comes on to the verandah, and brings him a choice variety of worms and centipedes. This morning she brought him a lizard, quite eight inches long. I feel that great consideration is due to her. She must have saved his life, for he had not the least idea of foraging for himself when he went away. The others are well Choy,' the butcher-bird, nearly did for himself a few days ago by hobbling himself with a skein of red- sewing silk. He got it twisted round both his feet, and then round and round the back of his tongue, which became quite swollen and black. Dr. D— was hastily called. I held his mouth open, and with the help of scissors and crochet-needle he was set free much subdued."—I am, Sir, &c., L. Gi.
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