THE PARROT. 231 



was floating, and, taking him up, restored him to the 

 king. As it was known the bird was a favourite, the 

 man insisted that he ought to have a reward rather 

 equal to his services, than his trouble, and as the par- 

 rot had cried twenty pounds, he said the king was in 

 honour bound to grant it. The king at last agreed to 

 leave it to the parrot's determination ; which the bird 

 hearing, instantly cried out, "Give the knave a groat." 



It is in vain that our Naturalists have attempted to 

 arrange the various species of this bird : Linnaeus makes 

 their number amount to forty-seven ; whilst Brisson ex- 

 tends it to ninety-jive. Those who usually bring up 

 these birds are content to confine their distinctions to 

 three or four : the large kind, which are the size of a 

 raven, are known by the name of the mackazc: the next 

 size are simply called parrots : the succeeding one are 

 termed white lories ; and the lesser size of all, are 

 called parakeets. The difference between these, is ra- 

 ther in size, than conformation, as they have all two 

 toes before, and two behind, calculated for climbing 

 or clinging -to trees; strong hooked bills for breaking 

 open nuts and other hard substances, on which they 

 feed; and loud voices, which fill the woods with harsh 

 and discordant sounds. 



The toes of the parrot serve the purpose of hands ; 

 for with them they generally take up their food, and 

 support themselves upon one leg, whilst, with the 

 hinder toes of the other, they turn their provender to- 

 wards their mouth. 



In other birds the upper chap is immoveable, and is 

 •firmly connected with the skull ; but, in the parrot, 

 there is merely a membrane which unites them, and by 

 that means it can extend or depress it with ease. As 

 their legs are not formed for hopping from bough to 



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