THE PARROTS. 291 



rejoinder as " not I ! " and the bird using it in answer to all 

 sorts of questions, will often use it with apparent intelligence, 

 but a doll might be made to show equal wit. That parrots 

 are taught to give certain answers to certain questions is of 

 course true, but in these cases the questions suggest the answers 

 and all the intelligence is shown by the interrogator. Those 

 birds which have lived many years and acquired many phrases, 

 will naturally, from the extent of their repertoire, the more often 

 surprise their hearers; but that they show any greater intelli- 

 gence may perhaps be doubted. That some of the parrots, 

 and especially the Love-birds, show great feeling for each 

 other and attachment to their owners is well known, but the 

 claim sometimes made that they show greater intelligence 

 than any other birds may be very safely disputed. The term 

 "parrot-like," as applied to the repetition of lessons by rote 

 which are not understood by those repeating them, involves 

 no injustice to the parrot. 



Famous There have been many famous parrots who 

 Parrots, have played their part in history if they have 

 not rivalled the geese that saved Rome. The Emperor Basilius 

 Macedo was induced by a Parrot, who cast a gloom over 

 the guests at a banquet by continually calling out, "Alas, 

 alas! poor Prince Leo", to liberate his son whom he had 

 confined on suspicion of treason. The Emperor observed the 

 gloom of his guests and urged them to the pleasures of the 

 table, when one of them is said to have responded, "How 

 should we eat, Sire, when we are thus reproached by this 

 bird of our want of duty to your family ? The brute animal 

 is mindful of its Lord; and we that have reason, have neg- 

 lected to supplicate your Majesty in behalf of the prince, whom 

 we all believe to be innocent, and to suffer under calumny." 

 Whether the bird had been purposely taught this phrase, or 

 had merely acquired it by hearing its frequent repetition does 

 not appear. The following memorial which appeared in the 

 London papers in October 1822 is quoted from the "Percy 



