ys had a cup of
canary seed; but at other times she ate potato, cracker, bread, apple,
and sometimes a piece of raw meat. She liked, too, to pick a chicken
bone, and would nibble away upon it, laughing and talking to herself in
great glee.

Miss Poll, I am sorry to say, was very proud and fond of flattery. If
Mrs. Lee went to the cage, and put out her finger for the bird to light
upon it, and did not praise her, she would often bite it. But if she
said, "Sweet Poll! dear Poll! she is a darling!" she would arch her
beautiful neck, and look as proud as any proud miss. Then she would tip
her head, and put her claws in her mouth, just like a bashful little
girl.

Poll was exceedingly fond of music, and learned a tune by hearing it
played a few times; but she had a queer habit of leaving off in the
middle of a line, when she would whistle for the dog, or call out,
"Leo, come here! lie down, you rascal!"

Poll was very fond of Minnie, and indeed of all children.

When she saw the little girl come into the room with her bonnet on, she
exclaimed, in a natural tone, "Going out, hey?" When Minnie laughed, she
would laugh too, and keep repeating, "Going out? Good by."

Parrots are said to be very jealous birds, and are displeased to have
any attention shown to other pets.

I think Poll was so, and that she was angry when she saw Minnie show so
much kindness to Fidelle. One day she thought she would punish the
kitty; so she called, "Kitty, kitty," in the most sweet, coaxing tones.
Puss seemed delighted, and walked innocently up to the cage, which
happened to be set in a chair.

"Kitty, kitty," repeated Poll, until she had the little creature within
reach of her claws, when she suddenly caught her, and bit her ears and
her tail, Fidelle crying piteously at this unexpected ill treatment,
until some one came to rescue her. Then puss crept softly away to the
farther end of the room, and hid under a chair, where she began to lick
her wounded tail, while Poll laughed and chuckled over the joke.

CHAPTER II.

THE PARROT AND THE TRAVELLER.

One morning when the whole family were in the breakfast room, Poll began
to talk to herself, imitating exactly the manner of a lady who had
recently visited the house with her children.

"Little darling beauty, so she is; she shall have on her pretty new
bonnet, and go ridy, ridy with mamma; so she shall."

In the midst of this, the bird stopped and began to cry like an
impatient