A BIRD'S TANTRUM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22628, 16 January 1937, Page 8 (Supplement)

A BIRD'S TANTRUM

The following interesting little extract is from a letter written by a lady who takes a deep interest in the bird life of her garden. It deals with a minute drama as enacted by Jessie and Jimmy, who fell out over a dip in the honey POt ' A FAMILY QUARREL Our birds are still faithful to us. I thought they would have gone their way when spring and plenty came along, but not a bit of it. They expect their ration and look about for it. The magpies nearly always come together. Not so the bell-birds. It is either one of the other. Some days I notice it is always Jimmy. To-day, for instance, it was Jessie only. But on one occasion, when we were both there to see it, Jessie came first. .l I was lying on the couch and holding tho honey pot, so that Jessie, to get her refreshment, had had to hop on to my feet and up my leg till she arrived. (Either bird will do that quite fearlessly for ub now.) Jessie, this time, had just dipped in once or twice, when Jimmy appeared on the rail and fluttered his wings. Jessie turned and sort of hirsed at him; and when he merely fluttered again she just hissed a little more menacingly. Jimmy plainly thought discretion the better part of valour, and off he went. After another sip or two Jessie went, too. ' ' I We both went on reading and In no time Jcssio was hack again; and, again, after the first dip or two, back came Jimmy to his place on the rail. This was too much for Jessie. She flew to the rail and faced him, and raised her voice to tell him what she thought of him. He couldn't bear It, but broke in on her scolding in a perfect passion of excuses and explanation—and there they were, facing each other on the rail, each little throat throbbing out passionate protest and the air resounding with thrilling notec.

We held our breath till the little drama was played out, and Jimmy had again beat ii rapid retreat, altogether quelled by his mate's disapproval. Then we laughed—and Jessie, too, disappeared. But there it was. They talked to each other quite plainly. I wish we humans could be ns musical in our tantrums!— Mrs. W. W. Turnbull, Cier&ldina.