130 \ HISTORY OF 



the quality of that particular diet. When the guava is ripe, they are at 

 that season fat and tender ; if they feed upon the seed of the acajou, 

 their flesh contracts an agreeable flavour of garlic ; if they feed upon 

 seed of the spicy trees, their flesh then tastes of cloves and cinnamon; 

 while, on the contrary, it is insupportably bitter if the berries they feed 

 on are of that quality. The seed of the cotton-tree intoxicates them 

 in the same manner that wine does man ; and even wine itself is drank 

 by parrots, as Aristotle assures us, by which they are thus rendered 

 more talkative and amusing. But of all food, they are fondest of the 

 carthamus, or bastard safl'ron ; which though strongly purgative to man, 

 perfectly agrees with their constitution, and fattens them in a very short 

 time. 



Of the paroqueetkindin Brazil, Labat assures us, that they are the 

 most beautiful in their plumage, and the most talkative birds in nature. 

 They are very tame, and appear fond of mankind ; they seem pleased 

 with holding parley with him ; they never have done ; but while he 

 continues to talk, answer him, and appear resolved to have the last 

 word ; but frhey are possessed of another quality which is sufficient to 

 put an end to this association : their flesh is the most delicate imagina- 

 ble, and highly esteemed by those who are fonder of indulging their 

 appetites than their ears. The fowler walks into the woods, where they 

 keep in abundance ; but as they are green, and exactly the colour of 

 the leaves among which they sit, he only hears their prattle, without 

 being able to see a single bird ; he looks round him, sensible that his 

 game is within gun-shot in abundance, but is mortified to the last de- 

 gree that it is impossible to see them. Unfortunately for these little 

 animals, they are restless and ever on the wing, so that in flying from 

 one tree to another, he has but too frequent opportunities of destroying 

 them ; for as soon as they have stripped the tree on which they sat of 

 all its berries, some one of them flies off to another; and, if that be found 

 fit for the purpose, it gives a loud call, which all the rest resort to. That 

 is ihe opportunity the fowler has long been waiting for ; he fires in 

 among the flock, while they are yet on the wing, and he seldom fails of 

 bringing down a part of them. But it is singular enough to see them 

 when they see their companions fallen. They set up a loud outcry, as 

 jf they were chiding their destroyer, and do notecase till they see him 

 preparing for a second charge. 



But though there are so many motives for destroying these beautiful 

 birds, they are in very great plenty ; and in some countries on the 

 coast of Guinea, they are considered by the Negroes as their greatest 

 tormentors. The flocks of parrots persecute them with their unceas- 

 ing screaming, and devour whatever fruits they attempt to produce by 

 art in their little gardens. In other places they are not so destructive, 

 but sufficiently common ; and, indeed, there is scarce a country of the 

 tropical climates that has not many of the common kind, as well as 

 some peculiarly its own. Travellers have counted more than a hun- 

 dred different kinds on the continent of Africa only ; there is one 

 country in particular, north of the Cape of Good Hope, which takes 

 its name from the multitude of parrots which are seen in its woods. 

 There are white parrots seen in the burning regions of Ethiopia; in 

 the East Indies they are of the largest size;* in South America they are 



