TAMING AND TRAINING. 43 



may have no talent for imitating words, but may, nevertheless, 

 whistle airs excellently ; a sixth imitates cock-crowing, the 

 barking of dogs, the creaking of the vane, and all sorts of 

 extraordinary sounds with the most deceptive exactness, but 

 cannot pronounce a single articulate word. It is most important 

 that the teacher should find out betimes the peculiar talent 

 of each bird, and in this train it to the highest possible per- 

 fection. As a general rule, it may be said that amongst all 

 the different kinds of birds which learn to speak there is 

 probably not a single one which is not capable of learning 

 something, and, again, a parrot which learns some sentences 

 soon, or even after some days' teaching, usually becomes a 

 good talker. 



But, apart from imitative talent, there are other considerations. 

 Above all, every parrot which is to be taught must enjoy 

 perfect health and strength and have careful management. 

 Further, as said before, the greater or less degree of tameness 

 must have much influence. It is said that some birds never 

 learn to speak clearly, but always pronounce with a lisp 

 or rattle, or hoarsely ; but, in my opinion, this is always 

 much more the fault of the teacher. There is no reason 

 whatever to be discouraged if a parrot repeats the first words 

 taught it indistinctly, in spite of their having been most clearly 

 pronounced to it. This is always the case at first, with very 

 few exceptions, and only after shorter or longer exercise is it 

 able to pronounce words fully and clearly. 



It must be remembered that even the fully acclimatised 

 parrot is very susceptible of any change, whether it be in 

 food, attendance, treatment, or habitation. It may from such 

 a cause become so excited and vexed as to sit for a long 

 time silent and melancholy. This may be the reason why 

 most speaking parrots, when sold and passing into the hands 

 of a stranger (as mentioned on page 16) do not at first 

 give any signs of their valuable peculiarities. Hence also 

 the unfortunate fact that at a bird show it is scarcely 

 possible to give the premium to the best speakers. At least, 

 there is always the danger lest the judge commit a great 

 injustice ; for while one accustoms itself rapidly to its new sur- 

 roundings, another — and perhaps a much more valuable bird — 

 obstinately refuses to utter a single word. Moreover, many 

 highly gifted and well taught parrots never speak in the 

 presence of a stranger, and as they naturally decrease greatly 



