fully fledged. Crutches of various kinds are selected for the poor
captive, the most ingenious of which is made of a single joint of
bamboo, the two ends being formed into cups--the middle part being
cut, and then bent and arched over the fire; the perch being formed of
a straight piece of bamboo, which joins the two cups below. A hook
fastened to the top of the arch enables the owner to suspend it from
the thatched ceiling of his hut; and thus the parrot swings about,
listening to his master's pious ejaculations. At dusk, many of these
men may be seen parading through the bazaar, with their pets in their
hands, the latter loudly vociferating that Brahma is the greatest of
gods, or that Krishna and Radha were a loving couple; and so on. I
have often been amused at this mode of displaying religious zeal and
pious adoration.

Should you penetrate into the more crowded parts of the bazaar, you
might happen to see the taste of the bird-fancier displayed after a
different, but, I am happy to say, exceptional fashion. A shop may
sometimes be found having a square space enclosed with a railing, with
a divan in the middle, for the accommodation of the master and his
visitors. On this railing a number of birds are perched, many of them
little tame bulbuls; these are detained by a ligature, passing over
the shoulders of the bird, and tied under the breast, leaving his
wings and legs free. The bulbul, though not the bird known by that
name in Persia, is a pretty songster; but he is as desperate a fighter
as a gamecock. Those, therefore, who delight in cruel sports, bring
their little pets to these shops, where no doubt birds of the best
mettle are to be found; and on the result of a battle, money and
sweetmeats are lost and won, while many a poor little bird falls a
sacrifice to its master's depraved taste. The tiny _amadavad_, with
his glowing carmine neck, and distinct little pearly spots, may also