38 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



me that a bird which has been thus put under control by such 

 forcible means must always have the impression of slavery ; on 

 the contrary, those which are trained in love and friendship are 

 always naturally more attached to their master. 



Taming and training can only be carried on without difficulty 

 and with the best results when the teacher is really possessed of 

 a certain aptitude for it. There are people who can perform a 

 difficult task of this kind with astonishing ease, while others, 

 on the contrary, although they may have greater experience and 

 much more knowledge, find it always difficult. 



When it is observed, however, that all kinds of birds are at 

 once fearless, and even confident, towards the one, and with 

 the other, even after years of intercourse, never become quite 

 quiet and tame, one must involuntarily accept the supposition 

 that it does not depend on the conduct nor manner of treat- 

 ment, but from the very first must be founded on the outward 

 appearance. It is said that parrots, like children, are frightened 

 at a bearded man, whereas, at least in general, they show more 

 affection to ladies and children. It is also said that male 

 parrots are more amenable and loving towards women, and 

 vice versa, females towards men, but conclusive observations 

 with regard to such statements have not yet been made. 



In order to train a bird rapidly and completely, the following 

 conditions, dictated by experience, must not be forgotten. The 

 seat must never be higher, but always lower than the position of 

 the human eye. It must always be placed so that the caretaker, 

 or trainer, be between it and the light. The bird must always 

 (especially in the case of the larger parrots) be rendered as far as 

 possible helpless, for the more it finds itself in human power, 

 the more easily it will become tame, and at the same time the 

 sooner amenable to instruction. 



It should, therefore, at once be put in a very narrow cage, or 

 chained upon a stand. Both proceedings, however, require 

 caution ; even the taking of it out of the travelling cage must 

 be set about very carefully, and should never be done by the 

 owner himself. This also applies to the putting the chain on 

 the foot. (See ante, p. 18). 



It must always be remembered, in dealing with even a per- 

 fectly tame parrot, that, as a tropical bird, it has many pecu- 

 liarities which demand care and attention, lest it should suffer 

 in some respect. A highly gifted parrot, more than any other 

 creature, is liable to be made ill or even to die from the effects 



