THE GREY PARROT. 79 



tlie bare skin on tlie nose is mostly somewliat distended. The 

 movements of tlie Grey species are unwieldy, the flight is, 

 however rapid, but clumsy, the gait on the ground awkward, 

 and even the climbing unskilful. In the Black species, the 

 motion is rather more nimble, or at least quicker. The natural 

 voice of the Grey is shrill and reverberating, that of the Black 

 short and rough, sometimes also melodious. The speaking power 

 of the former is probably the highest among all parrots ; that 

 of the latter is insignificant, or, at any rate, only moderate, 

 Concerning the life in freedom of the birds belonging to this 

 family very little is known as yet, but all the more has their 

 existence in captivity been investigated in every respect. All 

 further particulars will be given in the description of the 

 individual species. 



CHAP. X.— THE GEEY PARROT. 



Psittacus erithaeus, L. 



Grey Parrot, Red-tailed Grey Parrot, or Jaco (German, Grauer 

 Papagei oder Jako, rothschwdnziger Papagei uad roth- 

 schwdnziger Graupapagei \ French, Perroquet gins, Perroquet 

 cendre, Jaco ; Dutch, Grauwe of Grijze Papegaai) — Natural 

 History — Importation — Talent for Speaking and other Imita- 

 tions — Apprthension and Judgment — Illustrations — Precautions 

 in Acquiring. 



No other parrot, indeed no other bird, is so highly gifted as the 

 common Grey Parrot ; moreover, these gifts extend in various 

 directions, for it is, without exception, the best of all talkers, 

 and at the same time possessed of rich mental talents. It there- 

 fore justly rejoices in the greatest and most general popularity. 



It is said to have been known from very ancient times, and, 

 though it cannot be proved with certainty that the people of 

 ancient civilisation possessed these birds, yet our authors of the 

 sixteenth century speak of them. In the Middle Ages they 

 were often brought to Europe, and since that time the love 

 for them has become more and more wide-spread. 



On the other hand, it is astonishing that travellers, up 

 to the present time, have not been able to get any satisfactory 

 information of their life in freedom, and that we are still 



