JSS NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Waterman's disappointment. 



King Henry VII., from having been kept in a 

 room next the Thames, in his palace at West- 

 minster, had learned to repeat many sentences 

 from the boatmen and passengers. One day, 

 sporting on its perch, it unluckily fell into the 

 water. The bird had no sooner discovered its 

 situation, than it called out, aloud, " A boat! 

 twenty pounds for a boat!" A waterman hap- 

 pening to be near the place where the parrot was 

 floating, immediately took it up, and restored it 

 to the king; (See the annexed Engraving), de- 

 manding, as the bird was a favourite, that he 

 should be paid the promised reward. This was 

 refused; but it was agreed that, as the parrot' 

 had offered a sum, the man should again refer 

 to its determination for the sum he was to re- 

 ceive. The reference was accordingly made; 

 when the bird screamed aloud " Give the knave 

 a groat." 



Mr. Locke, in his Essay on the Human Un- 

 derstanding, has related an anecdote concerning 

 a parrot, of which he seems to have had so much 

 evidence, as to have been firmly convinced of 

 its authenticity. " During trie government of 

 Prince Maurice in Brasil, he had heard of an 

 old parrot that was much celebrated for answer- 

 ing like a rational creature many of the common 

 questions that were put to it. It was at a great 

 distance; but so much had been said about it, 

 that his curiosity was roused, and he directed it 

 to be sent for. When it was introduced into 

 2 



