152 THE CHRONICLES OF A GARDEN. 



we had for twenty-four years could make liis voice heard a 

 distance of two miles off. On a calm summer evening I 

 have heard his harsh cry at that distance, and knew that 

 he was desirous of being taken indoors. His power of 

 mimicry is certainly curious ; and though we have no reason 

 to believe that any of that tribe attach any meaning to the 

 words they learn to utter, yet they have certainly some 

 association of ideas with words, which almost looks as if 

 they did so. For instance, in general, when Cockatoo heard 

 any one's name called, he would sometimes repeat the sound, 

 but frequently he would call out " Whaf?" this being almost 

 always done if the kitchen door was suddenly opened and 

 one of the servants called for, shewing that he had observed 

 this answer given there, and connected it with the name being 

 called out. I have not had sufficient variety of experience 

 to determine whether this faculty of imitating and acquir- 

 ing words varies in different individuals of the same 

 species — whether some have the " gift of the gab " more 

 than others, or whether it is a question of training and 

 education. I incline to the former theory; for I have 

 seen cockatoos who seldom sj^oke, and scarcely ever of 

 their own accord added either Avords or sounds to their 

 vocabulary ; whereas the one we had seemed to vary his 

 conversation perpetually, having few set pln^ases, but 

 whistling, singing, or repeating words, according as he 

 heard those around him doing. On the contrary, one 

 paroquet we had, though a most affectionate familiar bird, 

 "never uttered a word,, or sliewcd any disposition to imitate 

 sounds, while anotlier of the same species used to talk 



