The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-09-05
THE LAUGHING JACkASS
One Of the Queerest Birds OF That Quee
Country, Australia.

One Of the Queerest Birds Of That Queer
Country, Australia.
Among the birds of Australia l know
none more extraordinary than the
Laughing Jackass." He is a true
kingfisher, alike in his personal appear
ance, his structure and his habits
Ones idea, however, of kingfsher is
generally associated with a water
loving bird; but this Australian king.
fisher is not water-bird, but land
bird, and preys not upon fish, but rather
upon grubs, worms, snakes, frogs. mice,
ETC.; he Is, in fact, a scavenger in
the true sense of the word. For the
last few days have had Laughing
Jackass" in my possession-as fine Q
jackass as could be found within hun.
dred miles of St. Paul's. In fact,
have only one fault to find with him,
and that was he would never laugh.
The cause of this defect in his educa-
ton possibly may have been that never
gave him anything to laugh about; this,
however, was not my fault, for l gave
him plenty Of good and wholesome food
In the shape of raw meat, etc., which
he took with dignity becoming this
most distinguished of strangers. Wish.
ing, moreover. to try his destructive
powers, showed him one day
mouse; in moment all his feathers
bristled up, and he appeared to be Qike
an enraged tom-cat) twice his natural
size. held the mouse to his cage, and
in an instant he seized the animal with
his tremendous beak and gulped him
down with apparently the greatest sat
isfaction. He then began slight litter.
which l trusted he would increase grad
ually to laugh, but l suppose he
thought it an occasion hardly worth
laughing about, so he shut up his feath.
ers again and composed himself to
sleep. In this attitude / fancied l de.
tected a sly expression about his eyes,
as much as to say: Il know you want
me to laugh; can laugh if I like, but
l will not laugh"
My bird was about the size of large
magpie. very like an English kingfsher
in general shape; though his color was
brown. still he was very pretty bird
SO beautiful. indeed, was he that lady
borrowed him for a day or so, to ex.
hibit at q bazaar in the Hanover Square
Rooms. Here, l understand, he was
much admired by the fair visitors,
though, from all hear. he did not ap-
preciate the compliment as much as be
ought. In due time he was brought
home. l gave him his breakfast and
put him out in the sun. which he much
enjoyed after his sojourn in a hot,
crowded room. turned my back for
a nom ~, and ON looking round again
was PEI city Mortified at what saw. |
Alas! alas the jackass had found a bar
of the cage which had been broken at |
the bazaur, had tested it with his beak.
and, finding that 1t yielded, had pulled |
1t on one side and flown awav. De- |
lighted with his cleverness. and, posi- !
bly,. also rejoicing at the discontinue Of |
his owner, away he few into Regents |
Park. One parting farewell only he |
gave me; the rascal actually stopped in |
his fight and for the first and last time |
| heard his hearty laugh. The poor bird |
had at last found out something tc |
laugh about--namely: that he had made |
his escape most cleverly; and, though
re had been denominated jackass, bis
actions and the clever manner in which
he got out of the cage proved most
sifectually that he really was no Jack
80 at an.-LVs Of Trsss RHohlasd. !