Bird Notes, Part 5, v662
Page 263
Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
with some care. When Rhody approached he wanted no more. Rhody is really behaving with commendable restraint at the cage. He finds outlet for his nervous energy by clowning sorties through the bushes. 2:06. When I went out at 1:50 I learned from Julio that Rhody had followed me into the shop. I found him on top of the cage and he quickly repeated his journey of a few minutes before. I hoped that he would show some recognition of Archie's presence in the ritual that followed, but if he did, it was of a negative sort, for he did not even take it to the mirror, being satisfied with the sash over the seed boxes. He passed directly by the cage and up to 5-36, without omissions other than those noted. When I approached the cage Archie dropped down from a perch above to the sand-box, crying and coming close to the wire, facing me, then rearranged one twig, still whining. It is extremely interesting to observe his old pattern unfold- ing . As yet he has not reacted to sight of the worm box, but for that matter, neither has he accepted worms. Probably the rat breakfast has had something to do with it. Until about 7 P.M. Rhody was never away from the cage or its immediate vicinity for more than a half hour or so at a time. His attentions, though persistent, continued in "good taste". They worried Archie just the same, but he did not again approach panic stage, nor did he conceal himself in the acacia again. Rhody, several times again, relieved his pent up feelings by sudden booping dashes through the bushes, and once again, presented a twig for approval at the mirror before carrying it up to 5-36. Archie repeated his new call and gesture a few times more, once, about 7:30 P.M. from his perch on my shoulder. He also "brought me more presents". One of them, a twig bearing a tuft of pine needles, he deposited on my shoulder, saying: Ook, ook, ook. At bed-time he became restless, repeating former behavior, even after Rhody had gone. I finally remembered a device I had used under similar circumstances during his former confinement: holding out an arm below the shelf where he "ought" to roost. This worked at once and he hopped to his old place, tail against the wall. He had refused all food offered during the day, except the rat. He did not appear to chafe at confinement, nor did he ever touch the wire netting, as far as I know. June 28th. At 7:30 A.M. Archie saw me approaching, lowered his head and whined, although I was too far away to catch the sound. He then jumped down from his perch, clapped his wings over his back (There is the pattern again), ran to the sand-box and began to arrange twigs, whining. (Archie's ma, whine, cry, or whatever it is, differs from R's. It is a monotone without crescendo or diminuendo. R's rises in pitch, then falls; volume ditto). Rhody was not around so Archie was gentle and friendly. I gave him a nice, live mouse. He then brought a leaf and dropped it in my lap and sat there quietly. When I touched his feet, he lift