Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-02


and Numerous Relatives.
HOW THEY SHOULD BE FED AND CARED FOR.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch
These birds, as pets, have attracted the atten-
ton Of mankind from the earliest times Arts
totle, Ovid, Pliny and others. mention this
bird, and all are struck by its singular aptitude
In Initiating human speech. They say 80 bird
having the tongue and voice of q man." 1t
figures in fiattering poem, . tribute to the
Roman Emperor, Dominican:
II parrot. may learn from you the names Of other
This have taught myself to say: Hail CESAR
There seems to be no language SO difficult but
that they learn to initiate it-English, German,
Spanish, 1t makes no difference. In India,
where they are so plentiful, they learn to speak
the difhollt language of the natives. The Brah-
mans consider 1t sacred, for good reason, as
they say: us 1t not the only creature which
speaks like man."
The writer knows parrot which lives In a
mouse where also dwellS an intelligent little dog
named Fritz. The bird would whistle to the
dog and call out, Here, Fritz! here, Fritz at
c cae same me dropping pieces of food from his
ideally TO get the bread, but at the instant he
was about to pick it up, the parrot, observing
him carefully with its head on one side, would
yell, "Get out!' and then laugh loudly at the
dogs discontinue. The bird learned this trick
himself, and seemed to understand and appre-
ciate 1t.
VERY LARGE FAMILY.
The parrot family is one which is peculiar in
that its various members can be at once, and
upon sight, assigned to their correct order.
There are in all 354 named species, the most of
Wnich are tropical. The curved beak, bright
make it easy to designate the order. They
are great climbers, preierring to climb rather
Than ny, and the bin is used as hand; They
possess dexterity in gouging out the kernels
of nuts, and picking up small fragments, in
which act the thick, hard tongue helps the
beak out of many of its difficulties. The feet
OF The parrot are arranged with two toes for
ward ana two back, the usual arrangement
Win most birds being three in front and one
behind. This yoke-shaped, or zygodactyl foot
as hold its food better. # IS about the only
bird which holds its food up to its mouth.
to the groupd or on hsh limbs sbe est
ing, but parrots lift it to their mouths.
sor some reason or other they are left
nanoed always seiZng and holding food with
the left foot. 1t has been stated somew here that
all animals are lett handed.
Whlie the general appearance of all belong
Ing 10 the parrot order is the same, yet they are
divided into classes. The macaws, cockatoos,
paroquetts, African parrots and those of South
america and the Sea Islands, show enough of
adherence to make sub-families. The gray Afri-
cans are esteemed the best for pets, because of
the ease with which they pick up and remem-
Der words and sentences.
Old books on OrnfthOlOgy mention the Caro-
ma parrot. 1t resembles one of the South
American varieties. At one time they were
very plentiful in the CarOlinas sometimes wan.
dering as far north as PENNSYLVANIA but were
hunted so much for their plumage that they
nave oeen driven farther and father south, un-
erp Florida.
WHY THEY DO NOT BREED.
Inc nests and breeding habits OF the parrot
are various. BY tar the greater number build
ruoe nests in trees, while others have a more
eiaporate one in trees and rocks. Some live in
holes in the ground. the United States parrot
breeds in companies in hollow trees and this
hablt Is the probable reason why they do not
rear young when in captivity Some species
nave been known to build nests and raise
young III large greenhouses II might be that
young could be raised in this Way. but not in a
Gaze. lney lay two eggs, Whitish in color,
about an inch and a halt long by something
over an inch thick. The eggs are the same size
at both ends.
Parrots and their cousins, the beautiful little
paroquettS, as we'll as others of our house birds
are seemingly short lived but il is almost en-
tirely owing to the unhealthful food given
them. In order to preserve the he alth of an ami
maj 1t should be given to eat only such things
rs 1t would find if at home in the woods.
and such things, do not deserve to have them
i've. vi course they like such things and will
eat them, but they make them sick, their
!eathers grow dull or break, or come out during
Inc moult, and never grow in as nice again.
hiiled by (alleged) kindness" is a fitting cpl
taph for many bird
snouiu De broken q little, and the kernels not
picked out. They enjoy hunting the good mart
ana grind the points OF the bill away in obtain
ing the Kernel. Ifthey do not have Something
10 grlnd at the upper mandabil grows to such a
length that they are unable to eat This is es-
pec,.itS tne case with paroquetts. They shOnld
pc Watched and the overgrowth of the upper bill
be trimmed every time the toe nails are Soft
nuts, like pea nuts and hazle nuts, may be
lshed for change. They do not eat the whole
grain put bite out the SOFT part, where the grain
joins the cob.
sand and clean fresh water must be kent in
the cages or all birds, If health is to be main
tanned. These, together with seeds, should be
put Ia the last thing at night, because birds are
long before the good people of the house have
turned over for their last nap. Treat birds as
nasE dr possible I'm In the their good mother
ne'i'h' good spirits and good song.
The ShOpIifter's MufE.
A DEVICE THAT DECEIvEs THE MOST ExpE-
RIENCED FLOOR WALKERS
From the Chicago News
The French muff is the latest device of the
female shoplifter and by those familiar with
It's construction and perfect aGaptability to its
business it is conceded to be the neatest thing
known.
The holiday period is the choicest season of
the year for the shoplifter, but it has been
shorn OF large share OF its profits by alert
moor walkers, who have become perfectly
familiar with the warehouse" dresses and
cloaks OF the professionals. Until the advent
OF the French muf the ladies who lived nv
picking up valuable laces, silks, and fancy ar.
tlcies In the large stores had no particular
com1ort In their calling, but with the new de-
vice they have been able to reap n harvest
despite the lynx-eyed professional counter
watchers.
The shoplifter's muff Is outwardly. above
suspicion, there being nothing about it to be-
covered with any kind of fur, Just as honest
muffs are, with the significant exception that
instead of being padded with cotton, the fur
rests upon framework of wire. Between the
space usually filled with cotton is left vacant,
tnus providing accommodation for quite a stock
OF valuable lace, articles Of Jewelry, gloves. or
anything else small and valuable
In the bottom of The muff there ia a small
slide on the inside, worked by the hand of the
wearer, who, after Introducing the article
stolen into the muff, presses back this slide and
frame and the fur. With one of these mu MIS-
shopl1fting is so easy as to be successfully nrac
ticeo oy noVlces, as not one stOre-walker in a
thousand would suspect that his counters could
De worked through muf worn as these are
when in action. The operator rests her hand
with the muH on 1t, on the goods which She nro,
poses to sample. and moment of diverted at.
tention of the part of the salesman or sales
woman is ample for her to tranfer to her moe
NOUS warehouse such samples as she can con.
venently and quickly pick up with one hand
The movement of cOncealing the stolen articles
Is 1nstantaneously executed, and, however well
the mutt may be stuffed, 1t cannot be buioed
out to attract attention, like cloak or a dress
Washington rs . Social Center.
From the Springfield Union
A dozen years have transformed washington
from town Of politicians and government
clerks into bright, social and intelectua % nj