VERT— VERT ; OR PARROT GOSSIP 263 



shining example, for we know there is an extra- 

 ordinary difference in the talking powers of parrots, 

 even in those of the same species — differences as 

 great, in fact, as we find in the reasoning faculty 

 between dog and dog, and in the songs of different 

 birds of the same species. Not once but on several 

 occasions I have heard a song from some common 

 bird which took my breath away with astonishment. 

 I have described in another book certain black- 

 birds of genius I have encountered. And what a 

 wonderful song that caged canary in a country 

 inn must have had, which tempted the great Lord 

 Peterborough, a man of some shining qualities, to 

 get the bird from its mistress, an old woman who 

 loved it and refused to sell it to him, by means of a 

 dishonest and very mean trick. Denied the bird, 

 he examined it minutely and went on his way. In 

 due time he returned with a canary closely resembling 

 the one he wanted in size, colour, and markings, 

 concealed on his person. He ordered dinner, and 

 when the good woman was gone from the room to 

 prepare it, changed his bird for hers, then, having 

 had his meal, went on his way rejoicing. Still he 

 was curious to learn the effect of his trick, and 

 whether or not she had noticed any difference in her 

 loved bird ; so, after a long interval, he came once 



