138 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



deafening scream, which renders resistance impossible, it begins 

 a reign of terror in the household. If, however, it be once 

 actually reduced to obedience and discipline, it knows how to 

 disarm anger by its coaxing and comical tenderness. To a 

 discriminating lover of birds, who is able to take account of its 

 character, and will treat it as a sagacious companion, it displays 

 an intelligence in comparison with which that of the dog, 

 usually placed in the highest rank amongst animal endowments, 

 must be accounted decidedly inferior." 



One of the most sympathetic observers and zealous con- 

 noisseurs of Cockatoos is Mr. Ernest Dulitz, of Berlin, of whose 

 description of the birds I will here avail myself : '' No one who 

 for any considerable time has noticed a really tame Cockatoo, 

 with its beauty, its varying, pleasing, and impudently lively 

 manner, will fail to regret that the most splendid of all parrots 

 should so rarely be chosen as a companion and cage bird. (This 

 arises from the cause mentioned on page 35 with regard to 

 parrots generally.) A Cockatoo which cannot conceive any 

 affection for its keeper, nor meets any return for the love of which 

 it is capable, appears a cross, distrustful bird, with which, unless 

 some change takes place in its surroundings, no one can make 

 friends ; but it is just in this peculiarity of character that its 

 high intellectual talents may be recognised. An Amazon or a 

 Grey Parrot is contented to have an indifferent understanding 

 with its master, and from time to time to allow familiarities 

 according to its humour, even though it may not return them. 

 It is otherwise with the Cockatoo ; it either loves its master with 

 an ardent, passionate love, or it is at war with him, though very 

 old birds that have often changed hands may be an exception 

 to this rule. Having in the course of some years kept fifteen 

 different species of Cockatoos, I unhesitatingly assert that no 

 other parrot, of all those that come into the market, possesses 

 such notable qualities, and is so likely to content an amateur who 

 intelligently cares for and observes birds, as a Cockatoo, no 

 matter of what species, provided, however, that it is already tame, 

 or at least may easily be lamed. Unfortunately, such birds are 

 by no means plentiful, and, it appears, have of late become more 

 rare. At the present day, when ships bring over often hundreds 

 at a time, the price has fallen to one-half and even one-fourth of 

 their cost some fifteen or twenty years ago ; yet it must not be 

 expected that such Cockatoos will indiscriminately become a 

 source of pleasure to their several possessors. To attain this 



