Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-02-19
SOME BIRDS THAT TALK.
THE MACPIE, JACKDAW. CROW
AND PARROT.
Some Valuable Hints On Edaeatlng the Parrot to
b. . Brilliant Conversational and
Eschew Profanity--Ths (row
= Kind II . Fair Talker.

The most accomplished talker OF
Indian birds is the my nah, u handsome
purple-black bird, with short tail.
orange beak and legs. and bright yell
low ear-flaps. which run around to the
back OF its head like broad collar.
1t is II bold, lively bird. with Il mellow
song and whistle OF its own. Its
power of reproducing human speech
is wonderful. and it 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 lively
black white bird, S large as q
rock, but far, more elegant in fern.
Several specimens inhabit the zoologi-
cal gardens. but the best is in the
western avisry, where he whistles
"Merrily Danced the Quaker in tones
like cute.
The American blue jay says the
London Spectator, n 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 ono (which
had all the tricks and loquacity of II
parrot; pilfercd ali it could convenient
ly carry off; answered to its name
with great sociability when called ur-
on, and could articLlate a number of
words pretty distinctly" Jackdaws
ana the American crow can also be
taught to talk. But in all the crow
tribe, except The piping crow, the re-
production Of human speech seems to
be moro trick Of mimacry than an
effort to acquire substitute for song.
Parrots, mynahs, and some cockatoos
take infinite pains to learn correctly
and increase their stock Of phrases.
But the magpie or jay mimics what it
finds 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 more atten-
tion than a chattering jay. The raven
is the largest creature except man that
can talk" and fancy and superstition
have naturally exaggerated its powers.
But the crow tribe, though US clever
as the parrots, are not so easily do.
mesticated, and their beaks and
tongues arc less well suited 70.
the musical sounds Of human speech.
Most OF the parrots. and some
cockatoos and macaws, have both the
mental and physical gifts necessary te
make them excel in talking. Parrots
OF all classes have feshy tongues
moistened with saliva, and the archet
beak provides substitute for oul
| palate and teeth. They have alst
wide nostrils and their natural voice!
are loud enough and strong enough Il
equal tho volume OF human speech
In disposition they are highly imita
tive. Cockatoos are almost like mon
keys in mimicking men. For instance
if you bow to them they will MAKE
elaborate bows. II you put you
head on one side they will often do 81
too. But with many parrots the de
sire to learn new sounds is not, VI
think, mere trick OF mimicry, bu
the desire 10 possess song-an &C
complishment with which to please
identical in kind with the motiv
which prompts the young of singin,
birds to learn their parents notes, or
in the case OF the canary, to learn an
improve upon song, not their own
which they have transmitted to thei
posterity.
The following account OF the develop
ment OF the talking power in youn.
! parrot OF which we have seen much late
ly is. we submit, u strong confirmation
OF this view. Our informant is a lad
whose sympathies are by no mean
limited to parrots, as the context will
show. and her observations are who'll
reliable: I'VE bought Barry sh
writes, "when he was quite young. b.
fore his feathers are fully grown, an
we had him year before he began
talk. Then he began TO make yer
odd noises, as if he was trying to 81
words, but could not quite do it. No
he constantly learns new words an
sentences, and early in the morning
hear him practicing them over to hin
self, exactly as our babies used to &
in the early morning hours in bed.
he improves as much in the next te
years as he has in the last he shou
BIO able to recite u poem if we teae
him. There is no reason why
parrot should not continue to increa'
!: his stock OF phrases as he grows olde
} If the supposition that he looks upt
) il as an accomplishment for which