102 ' CANARIES AND CA(1E~P>TJWS. 



avoid, before all things, frightening- it by sudden and hasty entrance. In all inter- 

 course with it no violence or outbreak of temper should be allowed. Parrots may 

 be spoiled by excitement ; they should never be teased in joke or earnest, nor unne- 

 cessarily threatened or punished. Punishment should be used only under certain 

 conditions, after the bird's disposition is thoroughly understood. 



In taming them, let there be undisturbed quiet, and always keep an equable, 

 kindly temper. At first, for a week or two, the bird should be left unnoticed. It 

 will soon learn that no danger to its life is intended, its shyness will pass away, and 

 it will begin to observe its surroundings. Soon an " inquiring mind " will be shown, 

 and it will distinguish ofle member of the family from another, and friend from foe. 

 It will then begin to grow fond of any benefactor, and you have only to avail your- 

 self of some knack to tame the bird rapidly. Take away the food or water, or both, 

 for some hours ; then hold these out, or some titbit of which the bird is fond, in 

 order to accustom him to taking food from the hand. He soon becomes used to 

 this, comes voluntarily on the finger, allows his head to be scratched and stroked, 

 till at last you may caress and fondle it as desired. As soon as it can be safely 

 clone, feed the bird moistened bread or seeds, from your lips, and his attachment for 

 you will be great and constant, and endure for life. 



TEACHING PARROTS. 



Read with care all the preceding pages on Parrots, and before the instruction 

 commences try to understand your pupil and gain his friendship. Some pupils are 

 stupid, and some, while not stupid, learn slowly. 



There is also a difference in teachers ; some do not know all things and can teach 

 tolerably well, while others, of wider information, have no faculty of imparting; 

 abundant knowledge to others. Those who have taught Parrots for me, and make a 

 specialty of teaching birds, adopt the following plan : All food and drink are removed 

 from the Parrot's cage at night after the evening meal, and instruction commences 

 at daylight ; the bird is then wide awake, and the stomach is not overloaded with 

 food. The cage is covered with a dark cloth, if necessar}-, to get the bird's undivided 

 attention, or left uncovered, as seems best for the special bird. Then the sentence 

 is repeated, or the song, words and music, sung several times, and when a sufficiently 

 long lesson has been given or a perfect imitation attempted, reward the bird with a 

 few seeds or some harmless titbit of fruit or peanuts, then continue the lesson, and 

 again reward good imitation. The bird will learn faster during the early hours, or 

 about sunset ; but he may be taught at other times also. Every morning, on first 

 going into the room where the Parrot is, and every evening, as well as several times 

 during the day, one word, first very distinctly pronounced, should be said to it 

 clearly and sharply, and, if possible, all drawling and lisping or other mispronun- 

 ciation avoided. A full-toned word, with the vowel " a" or " o," and a'lso with a 

 hard consonant, such as " k," " p," " r," or " t," should be chosen, and hissing 

 sounds avoided. While the Parrot is learning to speak treat it kindly, so that it 

 may gain confidence ; and, in particular, it must not be terrified, nor made nervous 

 and shy, but kept quiet and attentive, in order that it may intelligently heed the 

 teaching it receives. The teaching should not, indeed, consist of merely training 



