The Forrest City times., 1891-02-13
SOME BIRDS THAT TALK.
THE MACPIE. sJACKD AW. CROW
 AND PARROT. -,-
Ssns Valuable Hints on Educating the Yserss C bs . Brilliant Conversation alist ssd
 Eschew ProfAnity-The Crow
 Kiad ia . Fair Talkcr.

purple-black bird. with a short tail,
 orange beak and legs. and bright yell
 low ear flaps. which run around to the
 back of it's head like a broad collar.
 It is a bold, lively bird, with a mellow
 song and whistle O; it's own. Its
 power of reproducing human speech
 is wonderful. and 1t exhibits the great
 est anxiety that the tones shall be cor
 rect, repeating them softly to itself,
 with its head on one side, and then
 shouting out the words.
 Another bird which talks better
 than most, and whistles better than
 any. is the piping crow. It is a lively
 black-and- white bird. IS large as q
 rock, but far more elegant in form.
 Several specimens inhabit the zoologi- cal gardens. but the best is in the
 western aviary, where he whistles
 "Merrily Danced the Quaker" in tones
 like flute.
 The American blue jay says the
 London Spectator, most brilliant creature, flushing with hues of emerald
 and turquoise is an admirable mimic of many sounds, even of the human
 voice. Wilson speaks of one '.which
 had all the tricks and loquacity of n parrot; pilfercd all it could convenient
 y carry off; answered to its name with great sociability when called up- on, aud could articGiate number of words pretty distinctly" Jackdaws and the American crow can also be taught to talk. But in all the crow
 tribe, except he piping crow, the re-
 production of human speech seems to
 be more trick of mimacry than m effort to acquire substitute for song.
 Parrots, mynahs, and some cocsatoos take infinite pains to learn correctly and increase their stock of phrases. But the magpie or jay mimics what it dnds easy, and takes no further trouble. Even the raven seldom has many words at command. though. owing to its deep, resonant voice and Imposing size, it attracts moro atten- tion than chattering jay. The raven IS the largest creature except man that can talk" and fancy and superstition have naturally exaggerated it's powers. But the crow tribe, though as clever as tho parrots, are not so easily do- mesticated, and their beaks and tongues arc less we'll suited for the musical sounds of human speech
 Most of the parrots. and some cockatoos and macaws. have both the mental and physical gifts necessary to make them excel in talking. Parrots Of all classes hnve hcshy tongues. moistened with saliva, and the arched beak provides . substitute for our ralats and teeth. They have also wide nostrils and their natural voices are loud enough and strong enough to equal tho volume of human speech. In disposition they are highly imita- two. Cockaioos are almost like mon- keys In mimicking men. For instance. | if yoN bow to them they will make elaborate bows. If you put your head on one side they will often do so too But with many parrots the de- lsire b learn new sounds Is not, we think, . mere trick of mimiery. but the desire to possess a song-an ac- eomplishment with which to please. identical in kind with the motive which prompts the young of singing birds to learn their parents notes, or. in the case of the canary, to learn and improve upon a song. not their own, which they have transmitted to their posterity.
 Tho following account Of tho develop ment of the talking power in young parro. of which we have seen much late Ky is. we submit a strong confirmation lof ,bis view. Our informant is lady whose sympaihies arc by no means limited to parrots. as the context will show. and henobserpations are wholly lreliablc: Wa bought Barry" she writes, "whon he was quite young. be- fore his feathers ars fully grown. and lwe had him. year before he began to talk. Thenahe began to maks very odd noises, as.if he was trying to say words. but oould not quite do ia Now Nhe cooataraly learns new words and sentences, and easiy in tho morning hear him praclicing them over to him. sell, exacsay as oar babies used to da tn tho early morning hours ia bed. u he improses as much in the next ten years as he haa in the last he should to able 10 reoiss "A poem if we teach him" There Is no reason why parrot should not continue so increase his stock of phrases IS he grows older. if the supposition that he looks upon lt no an accomplishment for which he | is in s0mo way tho better. is correct
 The sutohor bird. for instance. and the sedgs warsler do not rest satisfied with learning their cwn notes. bu. oftan learn and reproduce the aotes oi other birds in great Deriectioa. The mocking bird, which. like the. sedl l..e warbler. has fine song of his own.
 dsss the same. Bus the parrot has taa advantage in being very iong-lived
 lnd constantly ia human company.
 The young parrst mentioned before Egave an excellent instance of the as-
 socia.lon in it's mind of words with Ethings Before 1t could talk, it was Friendly with kitten which used to |euter it's cage. This kitten was sent n nkk1 tskss al A