The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-06

were sound enough. but that the bird
was clever, and still unconvinced!
The parson bird is a convincing proof
of the fact that birds do not talk with
their tongues, for, being a honeysuck-
er, the tut has a long, extensible tom
que, with a fringed tip, as unlike the
human tongue as possible. As mat
ter, of fact, a birds voice Is formed In
the syrinx, which is quite low down
in the windpipe, and, therefore, can
not have anything at all to do with
its tongue in any case. OF other talk
ing birds not of the parrot family the
most celebrated is the Indian hill my
nah, a large thickset starting, glossy
back, with orange bill. In India, its
native home. 1t is often kept as pet
and when 1t talks really well is a
perfect wonder to listen to.
The best l ever heard-in. fact, the
best talking bird of any kind I have
met--belonged to a friend of Calcutta,
and spoke in an absolutely
with "a deep. throat, He
required some coaxing before he
could display his talents. and the
method employed was to get a native
servant--a very good fellow. but OF
somewhat bibulous tastes-to talk to
him. So this worthy would squat
down, and repeat--for he spoke Eng
nsh well-the mynah's own phrases to
the bird. But the mynah would not
say, who are your I'm off to
London" or any other of his set
phrases; instead, he would, after
while, come out with mot a drop to
save my souI!'' which sentence, when
once started, he would continue to
repeat at intervals with painful dis
tinctness and apparent satisfaction.
The owner Of this bird once had am
other which spoke equally well-but
Ga 1oco falo
it as tallSer, but in ignorance of the
extent of its knowledge or the depth
of its corruption, and when a lady
came in to buy g talking nnynah IL
was brought out for her inspection
and encouraged to make some obser-
walton. If we're to repeat what that
wicked mynah said 1t would surprise
the British matron.
The mynah found a home, for the
next person who wanted one-who
happened to be legal practitioner-no
sooner heard the birds somewhat un-
duly racy vocabulary than he ex-
claimed, That's the bird for mel" and
carried it off in triumph.
The house mynah of India, which is
neat brown bird with yellow legs
and habits much like our own starting.
Is not so often heard Of as a talker,
but knew one very good one In Cal
cutta, which was particularly free and
friendly in conversation. AS soon as
one went to the cage 1t would conn
mence to bow in regular starting FASH
ion and to say, "Mynah, mynah, pref
ty mynahl Call the dog, Jack, Jack.
Jack!" all very much in one breath,
and in a decidedly high key.
Indeed, of all talking birds this half
domestic creature Is about the best for
a pet; 1t is very easy to keep. cannot
bite like parrot and gets so tame
that 1t can be allowed to go about the
house, and even outside. with unclip-
ped wings.
Another good talker, which can be
allowed liberty with less risk than this
mynah, owing to its greater size and
strength, is the piping crow, the
'nagpie' of Australia, which is al
ways on view at the crows cages at
the Zoo. This handsome pied bird has
a beautiful whistle as his natural
note, and in captivity he learns to pipe
tunes and to speak with great readi-
ness, and is very ready to show off his
accomplishments in either direction.