The Phoenix herald., 1879-07-05
Rivals of the Parrot.

Rivals of the Parrot.
 Very likely many readers of the Com pdnion do not know that there are sev eral other birds besides the parrot that can initiate the human voice.
 Among these. is the mino, a round plump bird, about as large as a common thrush. It is found in the jungles O. India, and on the islands near that country.
 In color the mino is of deep velvet black, with purple. blue and Fgreen re- factions. There is little white on the long wings. The bill and feet are vel low, and there are bright yellow wattles back of the eyes.
 In the East Indies this bird is often kept as pet, and becomes so affection ate that it will keep near its master when 1t is not confined in cage. It is sometimes kept caged in Europe and in this country, but Is so rare that as large 8 sum as one hundred dollars has been given for single mino.
 Itis wonderfully bright and engaging. It learns to whistle, sing, do amusing tricks, and some persons who have had experience with it, have thought it sur passed even the gray parrot, the king of talking parrots, inits capacity for speak ing like human being. It lives most ly on insects, fruits and berries.
 The natives of Sumatra call 1t Teeong, while those of Java call it Beo and Mencho. Bayard Taylor wrote some time since,-
 never saw mino but once. I en- tered the vacant reading-room of hotel early in the morning, took up a paper and sat down, when suddenly voice said, Good-morning P
 saw nothing but what seemed to be black bird in cage, and could not have believed that the perfectly human voice came from 1t, had 1t not once more said, in the politest tone, Good morning ?
 '' walked to the cage and looked at 1t. 'Open the door and let me out, please said the bird.
 "' Why, what are you?' voluntari- ly exclaimed.
 "' I'm mino,' answered the amaz- ing creature.
 It was the exact voice of a boy of twelve"
 The starling is also talking bird. It is very handsome, of purplish- green color, with some buff and reddish brown, and it's natural song is soft and sweet.
 There are curious facts to note about this bird. It is found all over Europe. and In parts of Africa and Asia. Every flock of starlings, no matter what it's slze may be,-and sometimes the birds assemble in thousands-seems to be under the command of one bird, and gives its general united, instantaneous obedience.
 A flock of starlings high in the air will so suddenly and simultaneously all turn on their sides showing only the edges of their wings, that the flock for an instant is lost to sight.
 The flock will also suddenly break mn into divisions, then unite again. perform some singular evolution, and then fy onward to a resting place. A pheasant once flew across the track of flock of starl1ngs, and was instantly killed by the shock.
 Starllngs make their nests very care iessly out ofistraw, roots, twigs and dry grass, and in all sorts of places-empty hower-pots, chimneys, deserted rabbit burrows, clefts of rock, old ruins, or the holes of trees and they not only auoW bits of grass or straw to hang carelessly down from the nest, as though to invite robbers, but when they return to their homes with food for their little ones, they make a great uproar about
 Yet starlings are very fond of their young. In one instance starIing had built its nest in the thatch of a barn. ana the building took fire. As the flames approached the nest, the poor parent was In great agony, and flying l to It's domlcile, caught up one bird and | carried It to place of safety, then re- turned for another, and happily saved | all its little ones from the fearful | flames.
 Starlings have an amusing habit of | snatching beakful of wool of a sheep's | back to help about their nest-buildine.
 When tanned, the starling learns to | speak very distinctly, and is very en- terta1nlng pet. It seems that it was taught to utter words in Shakespeare's tune, for the great poet, in Henry w., makes Hotspur exclaim,-
 |" He said he would not ransom Mortimer; 6orDade my tongue to speak of Mortimer But will find him when he lies asleep.
 And in his ear I'll halloo Mortimer!
 Nay,
 I'll have starling shall be taught to speak Nothing but Mortimer, and give it him TO Keep his anger still in motion.''
 And Laurence Sterne-who lived in the last century, and has name ceIe- brated in English iterature-in his work called "The Sentimental Jour ney," represents a starling in cage as over and over, in a voice that was at first taken to be child's,-
 l can't get out, I can't get out p
 The magpie, cunning as a fox, i'm pudent, gay, voracious, and excessive y mlschievous is another of the par 'ot's rivals. It is an incorrigibIe robber, stealing the eggs and the young out 'f other birds nests, and even robbing