The times., 1901-04-28
THE SENSES OF TEE PARROT
A Wonderful Bird Possessing Rare
Intelligence.
An Ideal Representative of Life in
the Jungle, as Well Es an Interest
ing Pet-Its Traits and Character
istics-DOuble Use of the Tongue.

istics-DOuble Use of the Tongue.
Ornithologists have discovered that the
parrot is a wonderful bird in more respects
than that of being able to talk It has
been learned by those skilled in bird cult
that the vari-hued biped is a creature
| possessing to a rare degree each of the
five senses-seeing hearing, touching. tast
ing, and smeIling-and being ever acute as
to the significance of each.
The parrot is placed by naturalists at
the head Of the bird creation nor is this
on account Of its vocal capacity, but be
| cause of it's Intellectual superiority and
its adaptabiIity to circumstances.
a clever journalistic writer has recently
shown the close relation between the pos
session on the part of an animal of an
organ, or organs by which it is enabled
to judge rightly of the relation of objects
I and the mental status of that animal In
, addition to their prehensile feet. which
are nearly as highly developed as human
hands parrots are provided with a high
ly developed prehensile bill, and within it
tongue which acts in reality as an organ
of touch. But this is not all The parrot
alone. among all birds, has the power OF
moving the upper as well as the lower
jaw, a peculiarity very noticeable when
it gapes exactly like a human being. 1t
is this strange mobility of both the man
dibles at the same time. combined with
the crafty effect Of the sidelong glance
from those artful eyes, that gives the
characteristic air of intelligence and Wis
dom to the parrots face. One naturally
expects so clever a bird TO speak, and
when it turns suddenly with some appro-
pirate remark no surprise is occasioned.
The exquisite sensibility of the parrot
ont in =
vicinity. or even at some considerable
distance. suggests It's life in it's native
forest. The way the bird holds piece of
fruit or meat bone in one claw. while
he strips off the rind or the meat deX-
trously with the lower mandible, keep
ing a sharp lookout meanwhile for pos
sible intruder, conveys the whole story
of life in the jungle better than kipling
has One sees in that act the watchful
monkey, ever ready to swoop down upon
the dainty plumage of the parrot, who
ever and anon changes his position on his
perch as if he felt himself upon the
spreading bow of a tree and desired to
sean every portion Of the dense, tropical
foliage.
The African grey parrot is in many
respects the most remarkable and highly
bred in the world. Though not arrayed
In such gorgeous attire as his brethren
in other parts Of the world, his sober
suit of grey being merely enlivencd by
his cardinal red tail, he is a strikinsly
handsome bird. Seen in an apartment
shaded from the glare Of day. he is
neither beautiful nor gaudy, but when the |
sunlight quivers upon his plumage the !
contrast between the exquisite pearl grey |
and glowing blood red is both rich and |
SC ,Ec |
the delicately tinted feathers, from a
microscopic minuteness on the Head to |
feathers several inches on the tall are of |
a texture that is rarely seen on any other |
bird
The discovery Of a new species of par |
rot IS, even at this late day, no uncom- |
mon event in the scientific world. The !
common belief that parrots are exclusive /
Iy tropical birds is a mistake, though |
most, if not all varieties introduced as |
pets are from the tropical regions In |
this country. the Carolina parrakeet, at (
the beginning OF the past century, used /
to range in summer as high as the shores !
Of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. and even
within the last forty years it reached. |
according to trustworthy accounts, the |
junction Of the Ohio and Mississippi riv-
ers. though it is doubtful if parrots have |
since been found in their wild state above |
the Gulf States.
1t may be remarked that, with all its
high intelligence, no parrot has yet laid
claim to being a saint. The moral de-
fciencies and reckless animal spirits of
the bird were commented on by the phil
osophers of old Rome in the days of Ne
TO, who caused numbers Of parrots to be
imported from upper Egypt. They be
came very fashionable pet in Rome |
and were lodged in cages of tortoise shell !
and ivory, with silver wires, but they
We're prcfessedly esteemed as delicacies
for the table. and one Emperor is said to
nave fed his lions upon them, Just as
FHellus caused 10 have prepared a dish |
composed of the brains of ten thousand
peacocks. The beauty of the parrot has
been sung by some Of the foremost Ro- !