Notes.



91



way in to get the nuts first. Then a cock sparrow appeared and

asserted himself to the obvious annoyance of the tits. If they

appeared on the Ilex bough the sparrows would be on a branch

above; sometimes the sparrows would arrive first, or the hen alone

(she was the most persistent) and became bolder and bolder. Then

one morning the hen sparrow fluttered at the window in imitation

of the tit, and having once done so she perpetually repeated the

performance till the tits were fairly driven off the field for a time,

but as the wretched poachers got nothing, and after a time left off

coming, the tits returned. The sparrow is a consummate actor, and

it would be hard to find a more vulgar bird, no amount of snubbing

ever has any effect on him.



NOTES.


The Lesson’s amazon (Chrysotis lilacina ) which Mr. Astley

has, is an extremely gentle bird, but beyond uttering a low chuckling

laugh, never makes any other sound. Amazons usually scream more

or less at times ; whether all Lesson’s amazons are equally quiet, one

doesn’t know. This particular bird delights in coming out and in

sitting on a knee or a shoulder, and will nibble gentle at his owner’s

ears until its head is scratched,


This bird was brought by Mr. Goodfellow from Ecuador in

Mr. Brook’s collection. As yet it seems to have but poor powers of

mimicry. The cleverest species of amazon is perhaps Levaillant’s,

the double-fronted, which often learns to sing songs, etc.


Mr. Astley has one in Italy which will sing parts of Italian

operas in a soprano voice, ending in high notes, quite & la Melba !

The bird really improvises, and also sings a well-known Italian song

‘ Canta Carmel,’ most beautifully, and does it when told to.


The imitation of an Italian child falling down, and bursting

into tearful screams, calling for its mother, is wonderful; the sobs

gradually dying down as the child finds comforts. Amazon parrots

do not as a rule enunciate words so clearly as grey parrots, but at

singing and crying, etc., they are perhaps more adept.


''f- 'l' 'i' 'l'



