THE BLUE MOINTAIX rAHKOT. 343 



Thus, Avo have instances of eagles living for half a ceutuiy ; the same of ravens, geese, 

 • and other large birds, as well as among the smaller kinds usually kept caged. The 

 gray parrot, like many others of its tribe, often lives to a great ago, and we are told of 

 individuals attaining to fifty, sixty, or even a hundred years. According to Le Vaillant, 

 one which lived in the family of 3Ir. ^Meninck iluyser, at Amsterdam, for thii-ty-two 

 years, had previously passed forty-one with that gentleman's imcle, who bequeathed it to 

 his nephew ; and there can be no doubt it must have been at least two or three years old 

 at the time of its arrival in Europe. "When Le Yaillaut saw it, the bird was in a state 

 of entire decrepitude, and in a kind of lethargic condition, its sight and memory being 

 both gone, and it was fed at intervals with biscuits soaked in Madeira wine. In the time 

 of its youth and vigour, it had been distinguished for its colloquial powers and distinct 

 enunciation, and was of so dotile and obedient a disposition, as to fetch its master's 

 sUppers when required, as well as to -call the servants. At the age of sixty its 

 memory began to fail, and instead of acquiring any new phrase, it began to lose those it 

 had before attained, and to intermix in a discordant manner the words of its fonner 

 language. It moulted regidarly every year tiU the age of sixty-five, when this process 

 grew irregular, and the tail became yellow, after which no further change of plumage 

 took place. The gray parrot is subject to variety, as shown in the figure of Edwards, 

 where the ""round colour is mixed with red. It measures about twelve inches in lens'th. 

 The biU is black, strong, and much hooked, and the orbits and sjjace between them and 

 the eyes covered with a naked and white skin. The whole of the plumage, with the 

 exception of the tail, which is of 'S bright deep scarlet, is of an ash-gray colour, deepest 

 upon the back, and the feathers finely reheved and margined with paler graj'. The 

 irides are of a yellowish white ; the feet and toes are gray, tinged with flesh-red. 



The intelligence of the parrot has often, we conceive, been greatly exaggerated. It is 

 certainly true, that these birds exhibit the most perfect brain which is found among the 

 feathered race. But the parrot's imitation seems purely mechanical ; it articulates 

 words indeed, but this cannot bo regarded as a true language. In the same manner that 

 an air is taught to a linnet with a bird-organ, so are v/ords taught to a parrot, and he 

 repeats them without knowing wherefore. He does not understand their meaning, and 

 though he may repeat them on certain occasions, because he has learned them, he sees no 

 reason for doing so, lilie man. He utters indifi'erently an entreaty or an insult, and those 

 involuntary substitutions which really prove his want of intelligence, pass, with 

 unreflecting persons, for wit, or some other mental quality, of which the bird is totally 

 destitute, and which, in fact, it has no ability to acquire. 



THE BI.tJE MOUNTAIN PARROT.* 



Mr. Caley informs us that the blue moimtain parrot, the warrin of the natives of JSTew 

 Holland, is remarkable for its docility and attachment to some people, whilst it is a jaerfect 

 scold to others who may have teased or ofi'ended it. " Flocks of these birds," sa3's tliis 

 accurate observer, " may be seen in the Eucalypti trees when in flower, in difl'erent parts of 

 the country, but in the greatest number near their breeding-places. It does not eat any 

 kind of grain, even when in a domesticated state. It is much subject to fits, which 

 generally prove fatal ; and it is rare to find an individual kept alive above a couple of 

 years. One that I kept, on being shown a picture of a coloured plant, used to put its 

 tongue to the flowers, as if with the intent of sucking them ; and I have seen it make the 

 same attempt with a piece of cotton furnitm-e. The flesh of this bird is veiy good 

 eating." 



* Trichoglossus Hrcmatodus, 



