Page:Vivian Grey, Volume 2.djvu/97

 your new American birds, and it has half torn down your aviary."

"One of the New Americans! Oh, the naughty thing! and has it broke the new fancy wire-work?"

Here a little odd-looking, snuffy old man, with a brown scratch wig, who had been very busily employed the whole breakfast-time with a cold game pie, the bones of which Vivian observed him most scientifically pick and polish, laid down his knife and fork, and addressed the Marchioness with an air of great interest.

"Pray, will your Ladyship have the goodness to inform me what bird this is."

The Marchioness looked astounded at any one presuming to ask her a question; and then she drawled, "Vivian, you know every thing—tell this gentleman what a bird is."

Now this gentleman was Mr. Mackaw, the most celebrated ornithologist extant, and who had written a treatise on Brazilian parroquets,