Now I have to talk to you of much prettier birds, though, alas! to tell
the truth, not half so useful as the disgusting vulture of whom we have
been speaking. This picture represents a cockatoo, one of the parrot
tribe, of which there are at least 250 species, including, besides this,
the parrot, macaw, lory, parrakeet, etc., etc.
Parrots are all, for the most part, tropical birds, and in their native
climates the most numerous of the feathered tribes. There, amongst
brilliant creepers and dazzling sunshine, the "parrots swing like
blossoms on the trees."
The foot of the parrot is formed for climbing, being, as Linnæus would
say, _scansorial_, that is, with two toes forwards and two backwards.
The strong hooked beak is also used as a third foot in climbing, very
much as the long tail of a monkey helps him in flinging himself from one
branch to another.
They fly often in large flocks, and are killed and eaten as food. Indeed
they are so destructive to the farmer's crops, that he kills them in
self-defence. Do you know the pretty little Australian singing parrot,
about as large as a yellow hammer, green and gold coloured? Well, I was
told by a gentleman that he once ate part of a pudding which contained
at least thirty of these little creatures, for each of which here one
would have to pay heavily enough, and be only too anxious to take every
care of afterwards to preserve it alive.
The cockatoo is also found in New Holland, and is chiefly remarkable for
its beautiful sulphur coloured crest. The finest macaws come from South
America; they are larger than parrots, and have magnificent plumage of
blue, crimson, green and yellow. Seen in their native land in large
flocks they are said to resemble a flying rainbow. Lories are so called
from their frequently repeating the word lory. The grey African Parrot
is the best speaker, for I need not tell you how closely almost all
kinds of parrot can imitate the human voice. None imitate so closely as
this, the plainest in its personal appearance. It seems to take pains to
learn, but prefers being taught by children. Very many amusing stories
are told of its docility and sagacity. A very clever man tells of one
that was introduced to Prince Maurice in a room in Brazil, where he was
in company with several Dutchmen. The bird immediately exclaimed in the
Brazilian language, "What a company of white men is here." Being asked,
"Who is that man?" (pointing to the Prince) it answered, "Some general
or other." When asked, "Where do you come from?" it replied, "From
Marignan." "To whom do you belong?" "To a Portuguese." The Prince then
asked, "What do you do there?" it answered, "I look after the chickens."
The Prince, laughing, exclaimed, "You look after the chickens!" "Yes,"
says Poll, "I can, I know very well how to do it," clucking at the same
time like a hen calling her brood. We are told also of a parrot that
learned to repeat the Apostles' Creed quite perfectly, and on that
account was bought by a cardinal for 100 crowns.
The bite of a parrot is very violent, so that unless assured they are
good tempered you will do well not to approach a strange bird too
closely. The cause of this power in the beak is that, in order to
enable it to climb about more easily, the upper mandible, or bone,
instead of forming a continuation as it were of the skull bone, as in
other birds, is united by a membrane which enables it to raise or
depress the beak at its pleasure. This gives much greater force to its
power of grasping. Parrots do not build nests nor hatch young in this
country, but they thrive abundantly, and, when well treated, show no
symptoms of pining.
There are some very pretty little birds of the parrot tribe called
love-birds, from their affectionate nature. They are quite worthy of the
name, as they show the utmost tenderness for each other, both in health
and sickness.