Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-21
POLLy'S PROOF OF BRAINS.
One Bird. at Least. That Selects Her Phrases
for Proper Occasions.

fnrHsee
for Proper Occasions.
From the New York Herald
That parrots think Ihave no manner Of doubt
For the past four years have owned a talking
parrot. The result of my observations has been
that one parrot, at least. is endowed with rea-
soning faculties to a surprising degree.
The following narrative of Polly's doings and
sayings is an unadorned plain statement of
facts. devoid Of all exaggeration or embellish-
ment. make this preliminary statement be-
cause there is a deposition TO receive with con-
siderable salt the most serious utterances of
writers of presumably humorous fiction and
in the next place. some of the remarks Of nv
parrot betray greater degree of intelligence
than is usually accredited to feathered bipeds
Polly was purchased for so at bird store
on the Bowery. She is what is known as "a
doube-headcd Mexican. the head and neck
beng bright yellow and the tail and wings
tipped with red. The rest of her body Is of a
dark green color
For several weeks after Polly became a
member of my family serious apprehensions as
TO her conversational abilities were entertained.
for she was as silent as old Gen. Moltke himself
when we We're startled by her singing in a clear,
ringing voice:
@. You girls, you ciddy young girls,
Polly had not resided on the Bowery without
paving attention to her surroundings. 1t seems
this was The first line of popula- refrain. The
proximity of a concert hail to the bird explains
how the parrot had come 70 acquire the words
and music.
After this Polly began to make great prog
ress She initiated the sad wall of the midnight
ca. on the fence in the back ward SO perfectly
that skye terrier. Dude by name ran
yelpinS through the house hunting for the sup
posed feline. Dudes subsequent discus
IN "a tod
bow-wows and the meows of the parrot not
being distinguishable from the real article.
The warwhoop of our milkman-I lived in
Harlem ut the time and that of a neighbor' $
mllkman. who emitted q sort of double bar
relied whoop. were faithfully reproduced, as
was the whistle of the letter carrier. which is
the most difficult sound she has ever mastered.
Tins feathered phonograph also learned to sing
IN perfect time the words. "Peekaboo, / see
you. and The flowers that bloom in the
spring. the latter being the longest continuous
sentence she has ever been able to master. She
can. however. initiate me calling the dog.
whlstllng and saying. Come here. you Dude?'
When VIC first got the parrot it became Gus
tomary at meal times to ask Polly want some?'
From that day to the present time. whenever
folly sees anybody eating. she calls ont: Want
some. Polly want some" Having been fed
with crackers from paper bag. whenever she
sees paper bag she connects it with eating
and says. Polly wants some. as she does when
she hears nuts being cracked or sees oranges
or apples.
This is certainly something more than what
Is commonly called instinct 1t shows the
exercise to a certain extent of the reasoning
faculty.
Perhaps the most convincing proof that par
rots nave the ability to associate ideas ID to be
found in Polly use of the word ''goodbv"
when any me mber of the family puts on a coat
or hat. Polly will invariably exclaim Good
by" She infers that the person is actually going
out. because she has heard that expression
used when a hat or wrap put on. Ever
the use of the words going out in conversl-
ton lmpeis tine parrot to say ''goodby," When
person enters the room Polly calls ont
Hello. having heard the word frequently
used under similar circumstances Very rarely
Is hello improperly substituted for good
by. This certainly shows a correct associa-
non of Ideas and is not what is generally I'M
derstood as parrot talk
lhls parrot has unmistakable personal likes
and dlsllkes. While IT is and always has been
dangerous for one person to touch the bird
another can handle her at all times with perfect
lmpunity. she holding out her head to be
scratched and encouraging other famiiarities
Toward myself Polly has maintained an atti-
tude OF unhroker hostility for four years. The
origin OF her luminosity nv pulling and
suddenly letting goa rubber band. the other
end of which Polly had i'll her beak lime and
again have tried to make up. bu: in vain.
Quite recently Polly bit triangular piece ont
OF my hand and there is no hope of am future
reconciliation. 1t seems to be another case of
Hill and Cleveland.
Among the traits of parrots NAV be men,
toned professional jealousy" Thinking
might have twice as much amusement if | had
two parrots procured second one No two
rival opera singers coulG have shown more
luminosity toward each other Polly refused to
converse as long as the other parrot was in the
house and had to get rid OF the other one
after which the gratifel bird resumed her
former loquacity.
Parrots will eat a great variety of food. but
the one am describing objects to dry bread or
cake. On receiving piece of cracker Polly
Will carry 1t with great deliberation to the cup
OF water and hold it in the water until il Is
thoroughly soaked before attempting to eat it.
Birds are not supposed to be as intelligent as
dogs. but the parrot soaking food to make it
more palatable shows much intelligence as
the dog that burys piece of meat for the same
purpose.
Parrots have sense of malicious humor.
When Polly has succeeded in biting the I'm
ger of any one she dislikes. there is no doubt
she reJoices over her triumph for she laughs
distinctly mocking laugh. which SAYS as plainly
as words. "Ha. got even with YOU that time y
She. moreover displays mechanical skill in dis
Lodging her feed cup from the cage. and when
1t :alls To the ground with Il chatter she laughs
and chuckles as if she realized that she had per
petrated practical joke.
a Tragedy in Hiph Uifa