THE PIE KIND. 229 



Europeans, if there be any, of the discovery. As 

 those birds have always the greatest docility that 

 are taken young, such a nest is often considered 

 as worth taking some trouble to be possessed of; 

 and for this purpose the usual method of coming 

 at the young is by cutting down the tree. In 

 the fall of the tree it often happens that the 

 young parrots are killed ; but if one of them sur- 

 vives the shock, it is considered as a sufficient 

 recompense. 



Such is the avidity with which these birds are 

 sought when young ; for it is known they always 

 speak best when their ear has not been anticipated 

 by the harsh notes of the wild ones. But as the 

 natives are not able upon all occasions to supply 

 the demand for young ones, they are contented 

 to take the old ; and for that purpose shoot them 

 in the woods with heavy arrows, headed with 

 cotton, which knock down the bird without kill- 

 ing it. The parrots thus stunned are carried home : 

 some die, but others recover, and, by kind usage 

 and plentiful food, become talkative and noisy. 



But it is not for the sake of their conversation 

 alone that the parrot is sought after among the 

 savages ; for though some of them are but tough 

 and ill-tasted, yet there are other sorts, particu- 

 larly of the small parakeet tribe, that are very 

 delicate food. In general it obtains, that what- 

 ever fruit or grain these birds mostly feed upon, 

 their flesh partakes of the flavour, and becomes 

 good or ill-tasted according to the quality of that 

 particular diet. When the guava is ripe, they 

 are at that season fat and tender ; if they feed 



