THE PIE KIND. 225 



Such are the uses of the beak and the toes 

 when used separately, but they are often employ- 

 ed both together when the bird is exercised in 

 climbing. As these birds cannot readily hop from 

 bough to bough, their legs not being adapted for 

 that purpose, they use both the beak and the feet : 

 first catching hold with the beak, as if with a 

 hook, and drawing up the legs and fastening 

 them, then advancing the head and beak again, 

 and so putting forward the body and the feet 

 alternately, till they attain the height they aspire 

 to. 



The tongue of this bird somewhat resembles 

 that of a man ; for which reason some pretend 

 that it is well qualified to imitate the human 

 speech ; but the organs by which these sounds 

 are articulated lie farther down in the throat, 

 being performed by the great motion which the 

 05 hyoides has in these birds above others. 



The parrot, though common enough in Europe, 

 will not, however, breed here. The climate is 

 too cold for its warm constitution ; and though it 

 bears our winter when arrived at maturity, yet it 

 always seems sensible of its rigour, and loses both 

 its spirit and appetite during the colder part of 

 the season. It then becomes torpid and inactive, 

 and seems quite changed from that bustling lo- 

 quacious animal which it appeared in its native 

 forests, where it is almost ever upon the wing. 

 Notwithstanding, the parrot lives even with us a 

 considerable time, if it be properly attended to ; 

 and, indeed, it must be owned, that it employs 

 but too great a part of some people's attention. 



VOL. IV. P 



