88 



THE rELL0\7-WINGED PARROT. 



men and passengers. One day, sporting on its perch, it unliickilj 

 foil into the water. The bird had no sooner discovered its situation, 

 than it called aloud, '* A boat ! twenty pounds for a boat I" A 

 waterman, happening to be near the place where the Parrot was 

 floating, immediately took it uj), and restored it to the king; demand- 

 ing, as the bird was a favorite, that he should be paid the reward that 

 it. had called out. This was refused ; but it was agreed that, as the 

 Parrot had offered a reward, the man should again refer to its deter- 

 mination for the sum he was *o receive — " Give the knave a groat," 

 the bird screamed aloud, the instant the reference was made. 



Mr, Locke, in his Essay on the Human Understanding, has related 

 an anecdote concerning a Parrot, of which, however incredible it 

 may appear, he seems to have had so much evidence, as at least to have 

 believed it himself The story is this : During the government of 

 Prince Maurice in Brazil, he had heard of an old Parrot that was much 

 celebrated for answering, like a rational creature, many of the com- 

 mon questions that were put to it So much had been said respecting 

 this bird, that the curiosity of the Prince was roused, and he directed 

 it to be sent for. When he was introduced into the room where the 

 Prince was sitting, in company with several Dutchmen, it imu^diately 

 exclaimed in the Brazilian language, " What a company of white 

 men are here 1" They asked it, " Who is that man /" pointing to 

 the Prince : the Parrot answered, "Some general or other." When 

 Llie attendants carried it up to him, he asked it, through the medium 

 wf an interpreter, (for he was ignorant of its language,) " From wh^' 

 place do you come ?" The Parrot answed, " From Marignan." The 

 Prince asked, " To whom do you belong?" It answered, "To a 

 Portuguese." He asked again, " What do you do there ?" It 

 answered, " I look after chickens 1" The Prince, laughing, exclaimed, 

 '' You look after chickens!" The Parrot in answer said, " Yes, I; 

 and I know well enough how to do it ;" clucking at the same time, in 

 imitation of the noise made by the hen to call together her young 

 cues. 



The females of this species lay their eggs in the hollows of trees ; 

 •nd there is no way of getting at them, except by cutting down and 

 cleaving the trees. 



THB YELLOW-WINGED PARROT. 



The length of the Yellow-winged Parrot is about tnirteen iuchea. 

 fhe hiA is whitish, and the cere hoary. The general color of the 

 body is green ; and the feathers on the hind part of the neck and on 

 the back, have black margins. The forehead is of a whitish- 

 ash color ; and the top of the head, cheeks, throat, and forepan 

 of the neck are yellow : the hind head is yellow-green. The thighs 

 and the ridges of the wings are yellow, the remainder of the wings 

 are, m different parts, red, yellow, and green, with the greater quilla 

 black. The four middle tail-feathers are green, and yellowish near 

 the end ; the others are partly red and partly green. The legs are 

 b ■>ary, add the claws ash-colored. It is a native of South America. 



