THE TALKING TRIBES 113 



regard to his superiority to the dog cannot be 

 gainsaid. 



Sometimes a cockatoo, while gentle and lov- 

 ing with one, is absolutely savage with others, 

 scolding and biting strangers, or those from 

 whom he has received slights or annoyance. 

 Indeed, the memory of this bird for what he 

 regards as injuries or offences is phenomenal; 

 he really seems never to forget. 



Again, the parrot is not generally an active 

 personage ; he will often stand on a perch or 

 sit in a cage all day, and apparently make no 

 effort to change his place or to entertain him- 

 self ; while, on the contrary, the cockatoo will 

 investigate every part of his quarters, opening 

 his door if it is not locked and the key re- 

 moved, showing a cleverness in the use of his 

 beak that is simply amazing. 



But the cockatoo rarely talks ; he has so 

 extensive a repertoire of expressions that he 

 seems not to need the spoken word. He will 

 generally speak a word or two, sometimes a 

 sentence, and I have heard of accomplished 

 talkers ; but in this respect he cannot compete 

 with his parrot relatives. 



The health of the cockatoo requires as care- 



