Chapter I: Front Matter

MY PETS

Page 104]

MY PETS

Real Happenings in My Aviary

By
Marshall Saunders
Author of “Beautiful Joe”

Illustrated from Photographs

If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

Philadelphia
The Griffith & Rowland Press

Boston Chicago Atlanta
New York St. Louis Dallas

Copyright 1908 by the
AMERICAN BAPTIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY

Published August, 1908

From the Society’s own Press

_DEDICATION_

_I dedicate this book to those of my boy and girl friends who are never satisfied with a story unless it is entirely true. While the most of my stories are partly true, I have never before written one that is entirely and wholly true in every particular. The story of my aviary and the pets in it is taken from my diaries, and many of the birds are still living and moving and having their being, and are always glad to see any girls and boys who call on them, if they do not come in too great numbers at one time._

_Marshall Saunders._
_Boston, January, 1908._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. THE STORY OF TWO OWLS 11

II. THE OWLS START ON THEIR TRAVELS 22

III. A REIGN OF ROBINS 34

IV. A NAUGHTY MOCKINGBIRD 41

V. A ROBIN AND SPARROW FRIENDSHIP 48

VI. DIXIE AND TARDY 57

VII. RABBITS AND GUINEAPIGS 66

VIII. MY PET RATS 75

IX. FAREWELL TO THE RATS AND RABBITS 83

X. A BIRD FROM OVER THE SEA 95

XI. GOOD-BYE TO THE GALLINULES 104

XII. FIRST ACQUAINTANCE WITH PIGEONS 111

XIII. THE HOMING PIGEON THE KING OF BIRDS 120

XIV. PRINCESS SUKEY 129

XV. PIGEONS AND HAWKS 139

XVI. SUKEY AND HER FOSTER-PIGEON 150

XVII. MINNIE POST-OFFICE 161

XVIII. MY FIRST CANARIES 168

XIX. RAISING YOUNG BIRDS 179

XX. CANARY CHARACTERISTICS 191

XXI. LITTLE PETERS 200

XXII. CRESTED CARDINALS 212

XXIII. CARDINAL BABIES 226

XXIV. SPARROWS AND SWALLOWS 239

XXV. A MOTHER CAREY’S CHICKEN 248

XXVI. SWEET-SWEET AND THE SAINT OF THE AVIARY 252

XXVII. A HUMMINGBIRD AND NATIVE AND FOREIGN FINCHES 262

XXVIII. JAPANESE ROBINS AND A BOBOLINK 275

LIST OF COLORED ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE

_European Goldfinch_ _Frontispiece_

_Purple Gallinule_ _95_

_American Goldfinch_ _195_

_Red and Brazilian Cardinals_ _212_

_Indigo Bunting_ _260_

_Flying Squirrels_ _273_