102 NEWS FROM THE BIRDS. 



of the talking species are large, broad, and 

 fleshy at the tips. 



Many interesting stories are told of the 

 mimicry of these talking birds, and of the 

 almost human intelligence they display. They 

 seem to enjoy fun, although there is always a 

 serious look on their faces, showing that, like 

 the best humorists, they do not laugh at their 

 own sport, however much they may be amused. 

 A gray parrot in my neighborhood is a great 

 whistler, and utters all sorts of shrill noises, 

 which sound like a boy making fun of you. 



His home is just across the street from a 

 church. One evening while the young people 

 were having their prayer meeting I heard a 

 queer whistling outside, and thought it must 

 be a mischievous boy trying to disturb the 

 service. The parrot had just come into the 

 neighborhood, so that I was not yet acquainted 

 with his tricks. I bore with the whistling as 

 long as I could, and then hurried out of the 

 church, to give that unmannerly young man a 

 piece of my mind and order him from the 

 premises. In vain I looked around for him. 

 Where could he be ? Presently I espied Mr. 

 Parrot across the street on the porch of a 

 friend's house. I stole back into the church 

 without saying " nothin' to nobody," as the boys 



