Great Falls tribune., 1922-01-03
- sensation by appearing on the street
with q parrot that matches her gown.
Parrots a. Ornaments

"a sensation by appearing on the street
with parrot that matches her gown.
Parrots as Ornaments
The popular craze for parrots is ex-
planned In various ways by various
persons. An interior decorator in the
exclusive Madison avenue interior dec
orator neighborhood here places all OF
the responsibility upon the new in
teriors, with their lacquer furniture,
brilliant chintzes, and cretonnes.
"Such interiors demand parrot he
declared. 1T is az If one were made
for the other. A bird, you see is 9
moving color note in room and sho1ld
dominate the whole scheme of decora
ton or be left out altogether. And
really a parrot or a cockatoo is the
oily thing that could possibly pretend
to dominate most ct the lacquer and
the chintz.
when you do not own live parrot,
it is possible to use the image Of one.
That is why you now see so many
brilliantly colored china parrots in the
bric-a-brac displays of smart gift shops.
They come In pairs and make most at
tractive ornaments for dining room
buffets or as substitute for the poly
chrome candlesticks on the Italian
chest in the living room. Expensive p
Yes, perhaps, but in such good taste.
After all, wheer could you find any
bfic- a-brac so effective for S150?"
Another investigator of the parrot
vogue, a psychologist by profession,
| thinks that the war is entirely respon-
sible.
"The desire for brilliant pets, cloth
ing, and appointments" he explains,
has two main causes. Both of them
lie fairly deep. One is the attempt of
people to compensate themselves for
the loss of the emotional stimulus and
the excitement of activity that they
had during the war. Brilliance of detail
in surroundings and bright colors are
an attempt to relieve the monotony of
| days that are slack and grey for most
people. Colors are a real help"
AS for the pet stores, they do not
attempt to analze the public's sudden
demand for parrots; they are too busy
selling them. According to a woman
dealer, whose store is in the West
Seventies here, it is impossible to i'm
port the birds fast enough to supply
the demand. Most of the orders are
for South American and Cuban parrots,
but the African grey parrot, which is
famous whistler, and has a gorgeous
| rose-colored tail. is also extremely pop
ular. Huge, magnificent macaws are
| also favorite purchase.
Can't Raise Parrots
IF we could only breed them in this
1untry," said the merchant, we could
| rqanke Il pile of money"
Are there no large parrot aviaries
here, them" we inquired.
Not any that are run on CONNER
cial basis" she replied. "A parrot hen
may lay eggs if you provide her with
hollow tree trunk III which to build
a nest, but as often as not the male
parrot will destroy them. No, aside
from that unfortunate habit, the males
have fairly good dispositions. OF
course, coed deal depends upon the
individual bird; who has owned him be-
fore you buy him, and how he has been
treated in his extreme youth. The
males are much better takers, of
casionally we get a female who is
quite vivacious.
Why are parrots SO popular: Why
they always have been with people who
We're at all acquainted with them
They make such good companions. ]
myself have three of them at home,
and | wouldn't give one of them up
they are just like members of my fam
lily. They're very much like human be-
ings and they get greatly attached to
you, showing an interest in everything
you do and always eager to be petted."
The dealer said she knew of one
grey parrot that was extremely talka-
tive and had an uncanny way of delv-
ering its several pat phrases at most
opportune moments. 1t was devoted to
its mistress, who fed it, and when it
received food from her, it kissed her
hand with its beak and murmured. Il
kiss the lady's hand"
He took great interest III everything
his mistress did continued the dealer
land often when he saw her busy about
anything would inquire earnestly, Well
what is the lady doing there?' When
she died and he no longer saw her, he
felt the loss and became despondent
He practically quit talking and could
scarcely be persuaded to take food
Often, too, he would sadden the entire
household by asking. but where is the
lady then?'
"Of course" she concluded. as she
took a green and orange bird out Of it's
cage and held it on her finger, par
rots have to be taught to talk. They
do not pick up Of their own accord
q variety Of accomplishments. An odd
one here and there may do so, but the
majority require patient training. The
principal thing is to get them while
they are vet young, because, as with
other species, it is impossible to teach
an old bird new tricks. But the train
ing process is part of the fun. You
feel so triumphant when the bird final
" repeats the phrase you want him to-"
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