The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-30
GORGEOUS PARROTS.
A BIRD THAT is A FAVORITE DE-
SPITE MANY FAiLiNGS.
Parrots Are Pets Only in Civilized Coun-
tries-The Small Boys Recollections of
the Bird Are Generally Fraught with
Sore Parts of Anatomy.


ilized countries. The Bucks Of Australia,
the Maori Of New Zealand, the negro of
the Congo, the natives of central and
northern South America had simply used
the bird for food and its feathers for orna-
ment Some unknown woman of the Cir
cassian race must have found that it made
more noise than herself, told tales on her
husband and then the trade began.
To many people nowadays the parrot is a
bird of ones earliest "reminiscences. The
bird had not its domicile in ones own
home, but it formed one of the pets of a
maiden aunt, woman to be well thought
Of and respected, and it was instilled into
the youthful mind, however mischievous
it may have been, that no jokes were to be
played within the walls of her well kept
house In furtherance of these commands
you were fool enough to say pretty poll"
and scratch the Bonded head, and then,
looking curiously round the room, scratch
the birds eye. the next moment leaving a
part of your finger and finger nail in the
birds beak
These old maid birds are generally pious
and are much more cared for than the
housemaid. but sometimes they end in evil
ways. The parrot that the pious aunt of
Verrisopht Boomershine gave him when
about to Join his regiment, in Che hope of
keeping that worthy youth from the pit
falls Of military life, was chockful of good
Biblical advice, but Verrisopht went on
leave, and the parrot was taken to the bar
rack room, whence it came back the most
blasphemOuS of birds.
Profanity it took kindly to, and SO
shocked the maiden aunt during an unex-
pected visit to the barracks that, had she
not died before she could alter her will,
Verrisopht would have been left a poor
man.
IN THEIR HAUNTS.
The parrot from it's birth is noisy bird.
The bird in its nest makes more noise than
a dozen toucans, and when old enough to
join in the flights that every morning and
evening cross the tropical forests joins in
the squawking chorus that can be heard
nearly a mile away.
But there are parrots and parrots. The
little love bird gives up its life to small
twtter and Just to kiss and kiss and kiss
again." while the royalty robed macaw or
white plumed, yellow crested cockatoo
spends its life in noise and battle.
There is one good thing to be said for the
parrot, and that is that it will always 20
to its brother in distress. Whether from
curiosity or kindness who can tell?
Should you wound a parrot you may be
certain of a good bag. AS you hear the
next flock approaching press the wounded
bird with your foot. The cries attract the
other birds, and they circle round giving
one some capital shots. 1t sounds a little
cruel, but then the larder must be supplied.
In captivity, however. they are strange
birds, the larger numbers only admirable
for their plumage and horribly aggrava-
ting for the noisy monotony of their voices.
But some undoubtedly are amusing for
their mimicry and the affection they show.
What man has Travelled abroad and has not
seen the parrot, apparently monarch of all
it surveyed, wandering with its sidelong
gait about the floor of the house and
climbing every chair, making free of the
lobe of the ear Of the visitor and, missing
the accustomed earring of its mistress,
drawing blood from the guest who foolish
ly wanted to make himself agreeable
However sleepful a man may be, if fate
should lodge him in house where this
bird is q pet he must make up his mind to
rise at early dawn or lie in bed and silently
bless the nuisance.
PARROTS ON SHIPBOARD.
Once the writer was a passenger on a
steamer bound from West Africa to Liver
pool. 1t was computed there were 5000
Congo parrots on board, besides monkeys
of all sorts and descriptions. As it was
summer the birds were brought up from
the forecastle every morning in their
cages, often containing fifty, and placed
here, there and everywhere. What with
the jabDering of the monkeys and the
tuneless squawks of the parrots, one might |
have thought himself in deeper, darker
Africa than Stanley ever crossed
But there were some funny episodes too. |
Some among the passengers, deluded ones, |
were taking home educated birds. An |
army doctor had a sapient bird, who al |
ways on his approach diagnosed its mas
ter's character by saying. Il see you, you
old rascal" This bird had been given in |
charge of the ships butcher, and one day |!
the butcher, wearing sorrowful face, |
brought the defunct pet to the doctor.
day or two before reaching Liverpool |
the doctor determined to buy new bird, !
and went forward, when from amid the |
mass Of parrotdom rose the old familiar |
cry. 1t was a bad quarter of an hour for |
the butcher The doctor got back his pet. |
There was another bird on board that was
a terror to the ships doctor. Its cage hung
near the latter's cabin, and it learned the /
oft repeated cry, The doctor
wants glass of gin. New York Tribune.