The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-08

On another occasion this same maid en-
tered a room coughing. whereupoh .o"h'
mander remarked: i,
well, Annie. that's bad cola you We
got ., ooo
for throwing scraps of food on the hoor'
Commander said:
Il didn't do that; IL was Dick.
Dick IL q canary that occupies the next
cage to Commander. Whenever Soih-
mnnder does ANYTHING that should bring
censure IL tries TO blame Dick. Commah-
der's owner says that II is constantly com.
ing out with new remarks, which snow tila'
it Il thinking bird. l.,
Commander II very much Interested IN
the telephone, and one OF it's favor1te amuse-
ments Is to initiate with remarkable ex-
actness the bell of telephone, ana theh
proceed TO hold a conversation win Some
Imaginary person. II always ENDS 'hls
conversation by making an engagement
to meet the person downtown, III any
one speaks during one OF these imaginary
conversations II will say:
-Hush Don't you see I'm talking over
the telephone?.
Commander has many other Interest," ng
tricks. 1t will initiate the popping OF
champagne corks. will bark at It's owners
dog until the dog Is In a rage and will howl
at the cat until It's patience Is exhausted.
, According to the owner OF these birds
their training Is the result Of the hardest
kind of work. and must Ire conducted
along the same lines that a childs train
ing Is. They are brought here from Africa.
To be Of any use they must be taken
from the nests when babies. When the
babies get here they are generally Few
months old. Nevertheless they are worth
from SIS to $40 apiece; 1t takes from
four TO six years to complete the training
Commander is years old. He will prob
ably live TO be IS
The first thing taught the baby parrots
! is the alphabet Then they are taught to
count They are taught the meaning
Of words. and gradually, according TO
the trainer. they learn to think for them
selves
Next 10 the African grays, this dealer
| SAYS the hest parrots are the Mexican
double yellow heads. They don't do 80
much thinking. but are great musicians,
and sing the words and music OF popular
| airs 50 well that a person who couldn't see
| them would Ire certain that II was human
| being singing.
| lection with the grays Ii one Irish comeliaul
OF great ability. It's dialect is perfect
| which can he taught To whistle grand opera
| airs instead Of devoting all 81 their time
TO trills up and down the liar like 10 many
| canary birds.
of Iotu. birds In this country. They are
| BEAUTIFUL creatures, gentle. lovahle and
| clever They come from the Niolucca
| Islands, and this pair can sing, do cake
walks and talk. They afe very ahsc-
| tionate ooupl-. ana where one goe- In the
cage the other follows They are very
| fond ~ kissing each other aud ar. far and
away tho happi.st married couple In tl,e
| collection.
A. 10 swearing parrots. the larRes, parrot
d..al.r IN this city said 10 a Sus reporter
| IA. other day
-Th.r. are not half ~ many swearing
psrrots IN this ,ity A. their are ministers
wives who want them. Tils sounds like
| a loks, htT u isnt ! have standing orders
| from i,i-ters' wives for parrots that will
| ssaar TIC harder tis.y swear ii.e bslter
| ia. minister wives s-'.m la like u
| sAs q matter ~ fais PARROTS ATE hot
naturally lad fi@y don't like Ca swear
| aud n's ouly s,-n curs words arr drills~l
| lnio ti,.in and they ar oof,-iaDtly tiT JWu
| shh Iaufans l--r.,ns thai tls.y are ~lck.d
| Ti,.i-tss. ,ry a. I gill ] oanDo, k..p tbs
suIIay - s~.aiihg I-afToss AZ W tbs d'
| maud
4 aannsa .sIAAin Why minl.isfs siy..
sahi Swearing IAifuss, ilH ] hnAsiis ~
i-.,su-s tlsY s.si ,n,sa lsls.iy AZ h"iis
| tl.si tl.sy ka,s f,I q Tiis"ss