THE PIE KIND. 221 



but two opportunities of shooting it, which I did 

 to the great indignation of my Hottentots. These 

 were about seven inches in length, and of a rusty 

 brown colour on the back, with white breast and 

 belly."] 



CHAPTER VII. 



OF THE PARROT, AND ITS AFFINITIES. 



THE Parrot is the best known among us of all 

 foreign birds, as it unites the greatest beauty 

 with the greatest docility. Its voice also is more 

 like a man's than that of any other ; the raven is 

 too hoarse, and the jay and magpie too shrill, to 

 resemble the truth ; the parrot's note is of the 

 true pitch, and capable of a number of modula- 

 tions that even some of our orators might wish in 

 vain to imitate. 



The ease with which this bird is taught to 

 speak, and the great number of words which it is 

 capable of repeating, are no less surprising. We 

 are assured by a grave writer, that one of these 

 was taught to repeat a whole sonnet from Pe- 

 trarch ; and, that I may not be wanting in my in- 

 stance, I have seen a parrot, belonging to a dis- 

 tiller, who had suffered pretty largely in his cir- 

 cumstances from an informer who lived opposite 

 him, very ridiculously employed. This bird was 

 taught to pronounce the ninth commandment, 



