204 FEATHERED FRIENDS. 



had under personal observation; but must confine my 

 remarks to matters that are altogether new in this 

 connection. 



One of these birds, however, that had been personally 

 imported by an acquaintance of mine was distressingly 

 wild, and one of the most ear-piercing screamers that 

 I think I have ever come across, so much so indeed 

 that the person who had charge of it, and who had 

 never failed before to tame the wildest Parrot, could 

 do nothing with it. 



One day a friend of mine asked me, as I was in 

 the way of hearing of such things, if I could tell him 

 where his wife could rely on getting a good Grey 

 Parrot that would not die in two or three weeks after 

 being purchased. 



I replied that I could, but it was very savage, and an 

 awful screamer, although it had been nearly a year in 

 this country. 



My friend was not deterred by this account of the 

 Parrot's shortcomings: all he wanted to be sure of was 

 that it was healthy, which I could safely guarantee, 

 so he bought the creature for a couple of guineas and 

 took it home to his wife, who could tame anything, 

 he declared. 



A month or two afterwards I met him again and 

 inquired how the Parrot was getting on. 



It was quite well, my friend said, but such a brute 1 

 they often wished it was at the bottom of the Red 



