River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-02-08


his brave and gallant oper.-London
Standard.
Anecdotes of Parrots.
From chambers Journal
The death OF a parrot was thus an
nounced in the General Evening Post
for the 9th of October, 1902: "a few
days ago died in Half-moon street.
Piccadilly the celebrated parrot of
Col. 0'Kelly. This singular bird sang
IA namber of songs In perfect time and
tune. She could express her wants
articulately, and give her orders in a
manner nearly approaching to ration
ality. Her age was not known it was,
however, more than thirty years. for,
previously to that period, Col. o Kelly
bought her at Bristol for hundred
guineas. The Colonel was repeatedly
offered five hundred guineas a year for
the bird by persons who wished TO
make a public exhibition of her; but
this, out of tenderness for his favorite.
he constantly refused" This parrot.
we are told, ''beat time with all the
appearance Of science and so accur-
ate was its judgement that if by
chance it mistook note, it would re-
vert to the bar where the mistake was
made, correct itself, and, still beating
regular time, go through the whole
with wonderful exactness."
In Willoughby's translation of Cla-
sius, his Discourse and Account of Par
roJs, we read as follows: 1.-The noble
Philip Marnixius of st. Aldegond had
parrot whom have oft heard laugh
like a man, when he was by the by
ISLANDERS hidden so to do in the French
tongue, in these words, 'RieZ, parro-
quet, riez. Laugh, parrot, Taught
yea, which was more wonderful, il
would presently add in the French
tongue, as if it had been endowed with
reason, but doubtless so taught: %
lie grand sOt qui me fait rirep 70
what fool to make me laugh II and
was wont to repeat these words twice
or thrice" This has sometimes been
adduced as a proof of the great intel
ligence of parrots. 1t is evidently,
however, rather an illustration OF
memory and association of ideas.
which, along with other things, will
be found illustrated also in the follow
ing account communicated to us of
parrot in London:
A blue macaw in Brooks menagerle
initiated to perfection the snarling,
barking, and bowling of dogs, and the
cackling and growing of fowls, and
would also astonish the visitors by its
readiness in mimicking any peculiar
voice i'll the company. DR.. Thornton
bought the bird for fifteen guineas; but
~so -
have lost all initiative power till it
was released from captivity and al.
lowed the range of the house. Then
it speedily recovered health and re-
gained the beauty of its plumage,
made itself perfectly at home, became
very loquacious, and played many
amusing tricks. It's sense of smelling
was very acute, and it was generally
the first to announce that dinner was
ready. Its mode of showing gratitude
or satisfaction was by half expanding
its wings with gentle tremulous flut-
ter of the feathers, and utteTing low
and not unpleaSing note. If food was
prOffered which its instinct or caprice
rejected, it would take it with its foot
and throw it down with an eXclama-
ton which sounded like ''Therer'
Food that was to its liking was care
fully examined, tasted, and then con-
veyed to the birds own tin dish, in
which it was packed close by pressure
with the bill. If any of the children
fell or were hurt, Poll was the first to
give the alarm, and did not cease
clamoring till the cause was attended
to.
DR.. Thompson son taught this par
rot to descend from it's perch at
word of command, and to stand upon
his finger: then. on another order. it
turned back downward, and hung on
the finger by one foot, retaining its
hold, although swung ahout ever so
violently. Like many other parrots
and cOckatoos, it was evidently vain
and very susceptible of fiattery, and
was generally prompt in complying,
if asked, To eXterd its wings and show
their beauty. 1t would walk on the
ground backward il ordered to do so,
walking in this manner with the ut
most ease. 1t was extremely fond of
music; and danced to all lively tunes,
it's wings also moving. and its head
moving backward and forward in cor
rect time. By peculiar working of
the seTTatures or Tile which all parrots
have in the upper mandible, against
the lower, it diligently strove to imi.
tate the noise made by a scissors
grinder who weekly visited the street;
but finding that this alone did not
quite serve the purpose, it had re.
course to the expedient of strik-
ing its claws against it's tin-cov-
cred perch, and, accurately observing
the time of the turning of the wheel,
effected so exact an imitation once or
twice a day, that the neighbors said
the man had become a perpetual nuis-
ance.
From the same source with the fore
going we derive the following account
of another parrot. A lady had gray
parrot of four years old, that learned |
new words and sentences every day, |
and made surprisingly correct applica- |
ton of them. Enjoying perfect free |
dom, he would sometimes indulge in |
the expensive luxury of mischief, upon |
which his mistress would scold him, |
when he would Indignantly reply : |
mot naughty Poll, "NOt bold bad /
bird :" and reiterate, with stamping |
of h S right foot and an up-and-down
movement of his. body. 81 am not
am not !" When she praised him, he
would tell her that she was darling, |
and that he loved her. He was very /
jealous of attentions paid to children,
and when he saw them caressed would /
cry: SEQ away, bold girli'' or $50
away, bod boy !" using the terms girl /
or boy with accurate discrimination.
He remembered every name that he
head, and applied it correctly to the
person. Once Geeing visitor without
a dog he was accustomed to have with
him, he called the dog by name and
whistled for him, att ough neither the
nor his dog had been at the |