Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-03-06
THE TALKATIVE POLL1ES.
AN ENTHUSIAST PRESENTS HIS
VIEWS ON PARROTS.
Different Kinds and Where They Come
From-Thc Females Can Learn TO Talk.
Some Practical Hints on Parrot Dietary
and Training.

81 suppose you know that every ship from
the isthmus lands Mt least u score oil parrots
in San Francisco" said an enthusiastic bird
tamer to II reporter lately.
"What becomes of thema"
al believe most of them die within month
for want of proper care, and very few OF tho
rest learn 10 talk. 1t wouldn't be an exas-
yerution to say that half the population OF
San Francisco has tried its haud at parrot
keeping; but good talking bird is MS rare as
ever, and will always command high price.
Of course all the parrots don't come from the
isthmus or the coast towns where the steanl-
ers call; but enough come from these points
at low figure to make it we'll worth While
for man to undertake the business OF train
ing and accliniatzing them. You can get
young parrot at Curento or Acapulco, or at
almost any Central American port, for hve
pesos about ~, that will he worth $50 or
500 when properly taught. It's easy enough
when you know the way"
"Some varieties IRE better than others, are
they not"
"Yes but practically any parrot can be
trained to talk if you commence when the
bird is young. There is common but fool
isl! notion that it is only the male birds that
talk. AS matter of fact, there is no moro
difference in this respect than III the human
Species Tho hen parrot can 90 her share OF
talking"
WHAT THEY EAT
"Do the different kinds of parrots require
different foodr
"Certainly; that is one OF the secrets. Let
me describe to YOU here the kinds Of parrot
commonly met with in this country. Of
course, YOU know they are all imported and
aeclimalized the bird being strictly tropical
in it's natural habitat. The Mexican double
yellow head parrots are among the hest
birds we get; they have b,.ter talking
power, greater sharpness in picking up words
and tricks, and u more pleasing human like
voice than the other varieties. They are also
quick to become attached to their owners,
and to make strangers feel like strangers,
which is one of the chief charms of parrot
for the average man or woman. That's hu-
man nature, isn't ti If parrot will take to
every body the owner has no use for 1t. This
variety has another good quality-that OF
fearlessness. A Mexican double yellow head
parrot will convince any cat in about two
minutes that distance lends both enchantr
mont and safety to the view. AS to what
these birds can learn, will only say that
they have been taught to initiate all he ami
mails in the BARNARD the rooster, the dog
the pigs, the pea hens, the turkeys; they can
he made to repeat half Il dozen letters OF the
alphabet correctly in succession, spell words,
and us to swearlng--they will pick up 'cuss'
words as quick as any Oyear-old Gann in
Tar Flat"
"Are these birds the ones which die Off so
fastf'
"Ees, because they are the most sensitive
of all parrots They require special care the
first winter, and should lie kept warm and
ont of the druu2ht, just here will give
YOU IL pointer If YOU put n monkey, an ant
eater, parrot or any tropical animal III
draught Of air--as, for instance, by opening
the window in room where a fire is burning
you are going to lose your pet. 1t will
catch cold and die as surely us if you had
put it in refrigerator car.
"Then the imported parrots die Of co.d?'
"Not all of them 1t is not really cold
enough in San Francisco to kill II parrot,
even on a cold day, but draughts are fatal,
in summer and winter alike. The real trouble
people have in raising parrots is because they
will not try to believe that the birds get
along much better at first without drinking
water. If you set a vessel OF water near a
freshly imported parrot, however healthy, 1t
will drink itself TO death; that's what l
mean"
DRINKING WATER.
"Thcn YOU would give them 10 water at
ALI"
Not exactly that A little water may be
given to II young bird every day; say one OF
two leaspoonfuls. But the proof that water
Is bad for green parrot, If you let the bird
feed Itself, is shown by the fact that parrot
which has been getting along finely for a
whole week without water, but with plenty
of green food, which contains all the water
it requires will get dysentery or some other
trouble directly it is allowed to swill all it
wants.
"parrots are reckless feeders, then'"
"In captivity, yes, and that is the cause Of
most of their ailments The birds naturally
live Oh seeds and fruit under conditions
which permit them to have fresh food at oil
times, and plenty of fresh air and sunlight.
But parrot in captivity is kent in state OF
chrome irritability by hot and improper food
coffee, meat, stale bread, sour vegetables
a, the bottom of its cage--is it a wonder that
=. bird sickens9 Why, the life of parrot is
in the sunlight and the flesh fruits on the
trees! How many people think of summing
their parrot, Il thing which ought to be done
every dayF
"Do all the varieties require the same
carel'
mot US to the temperature of the room,
but Us to the feeding, yes, certainly. "A SICK
parrot is, in nine cases out of ten, 0n exposed
or overfed parrot. The hardest of all varie-
ties is the African gray, but itshould never be
fed with soft bread, which agrees well with
other parrots The proper thing for this
bird is u diet of water crackers, pilot biscuit,
hemp, and occasionally a piece OF mealy
apple or peanut. The African parrot may
also be trusted with drinking water in its
cage, which is dangerous experiment with
the green varieties while young.
''There is no whistler to beg. the African
gray, and il never screeches. vi course this
bird comes high, because it has to come by
way Of Liverpool and New York, or round the
Horn; but it is a fine pet, and, as have said,
hardy bird a good African parrot is not
dear ut $50 OF eveu $l00."
what other varieties come heref'
1.-THE Cuban parrot. 1t is a very beautiful
bird, good talkcr and fair whistler. This
is delicate variety till thoroughly accli-
mated, and Is subject to all the rules about
a limited wafer diet. There is no better food
for this parrot or for parrots generally than
plain boiled rice, with the guInmy matter
washed off by pouring cold water ON the boiled
mass. No food should ever be left in the cage
IL