HABITS OF THE PARROT 409 



ground nor the air were destined for his habitual abode. In 

 climbing, however, he shows an uncommon expertness and agility, 

 unlike that of any other quadruped or bird, as the organ he 

 chiefly uses for the purpose is his beak. 



He first seizes with his powerful mandibles the branch he 

 intends to ascend, and then raises his body one foot after the 

 other; or, if he happens to have a sweet nut in his bill which 

 he is anxious to preserve, he presses his lower mandible firmly 

 upon the branch, and raises himself by the contraction of the 

 muscles of his neck. On descending, he first bends his head, 

 lays the back of his beak upon the branch, and while the ex- 

 tended neck supports the weight of the body, brings down one 

 foot after the other. 



While accidentally walking on even ground, he also frequently 

 uses his upper mandible as a kind of crutch, by fixing its 

 point or its back upon the ground ; for the formation of his toes 

 is such, that he can walk but very slowly, and consequently re- 

 quires the aid of that singular support. Thus monkeys and 

 parrots are, in the fullest sense of the word, dendritic animals 

 — the free children of the primitive forest. But if the toes of 

 the parrot are but ill adapted for walking, they render him 

 valuable services, in seizing or grasping his food. They even 

 form a kind of hand, with which, like the monkey, he conveys 

 the morsel to his beak. This easily cracks the hardest nut- 

 shells, after which the broad and fleshy tongue adroitly extracts 

 * the kernel. 



In his free state the parrot lives only upon nuts and seeds ; 

 when captive, however, he becomes omnivorous, like man his 

 master, eats bread and meat, sugar and pastry, and is very fond 

 of wine, which has a most exhilarating eff'ect on his spirits. 



Like most monkeys, the parrots are extremely social. At 

 break of day they generally rise in large bands, and with loud 

 screams fly away to seek their breakfast. After having feasted 

 together, they retire to the shady parts of the forest as soon as 

 the heat begins to be oppressive, and a few hours before the 

 setting of the sun, reappear in large troops. 



"'Every day," says Le Vaillant, "the African damask parrots 

 (Psittaciis infuscatus) fly to the water at the same hour to 

 bathe themselves — in which operation they take great delight : 

 ;ill the flocks of the whole canton assemble towards evening 



