VERT— VERT ; OR PARROT GOSSIP 259 



Maipures, which had belonged to the Apures tribe 

 before they were exterminated by the Caribs. Their 

 language perished with them, only the long-living 

 parrot went on talking it. This parrot story took 

 the fancy of the public and was re-told in a hundred 

 books, and was made the subject of poems in several 

 countries — one by our own " Pleasures of Hope " 

 Campbell. 



Nevertheless I thought it would be worth while 

 trying a little Spanish on old Polly of the Lamb, and 

 thought it best to begin by making friends. It was 

 of little use to offer her something to eat. Poll was 

 a person who rather despised sweeties and kickshaws. 

 It had been the custom of the house for half a century 

 to allow Polly to eat what she liked and when she 

 liked, and as she — it was really a he — was of a social 

 disposition she preferred taking her meals with the 

 family and eating the same food. At breakfast she 

 would come to the table and partake of bacon and 

 fried eggs, also toast and butter and jam and 

 marmalade, at dinner it was a cut off the joint with 

 (usually) two vegetables, then pudding or tart with 

 pippins and cheese to follow. Between meals she 

 amused herself with bird seed, but preferred a meaty 

 mutton-bone, which she would hold in one hand or 

 foot and feed on with great satisfaction. It was 



