194 LIVING CREATURES. 



like a man, and to be most talkative when intoxicated. " 

 The large gray parrot is from Africa and Madagascar. 

 It is the best talkej among parrots. 



A parrot in Pennsylvania recently brought about a 

 lawsuit. Two men had an angry dispute about a bill, 

 in a room in the house of the debtor. As they raised 

 their voices to a high key, a shrill voice in the next 

 room cried: "Kick him out! kick him out! kick 

 him out!" The creditor thought it was the debtor's 

 wife who was advising him to commit assault. 



Springing up in a great rage he said he would go 

 without being kicked out, but he would surely be 

 heard from. He then went straight to a justice of the 

 peace, and brought suit. At the trial it was proved 

 that it was a parrot, and not the man's wife, who had 

 advised the kicking out. 



47. RED-HEAD AND HIS MUSIC. 



OF our ruby-throat humming-bird, Mr. Burroughs 

 says: "Nature has given him a jewel upon his tKroat, 

 but no song save the hum of his wings." His wing- 

 power is almost a miracle. While he examines a 

 flower he stands in the air. His bill is like that of 

 the woodpecker, and enables him to draw out an in- 

 sect from the bottom of a trumpet-flower. 



Something about their bills gives interest to the 

 flicker or yellow hammer, to the little spotted downy 

 woodpecker, and to our common red-head. This bill 



