THE ETHIOPIAN PARROT. 



Mutual affection. 



does not meet with that degree of admiration 

 which is due to its superior elegance. Its colour 

 is in general green ; the jbill, throat, and breast, 

 being red, and the rump blue. Although very- 

 imitative of the manners of other birds, it is dif- 

 ficult to teach them to articulate words, having 

 by nature a very disagreeable cry. Some, how- 

 ever, have attained this art, but tjie instances ar# 

 very rare. 



They are exceedingly kind and affectionate 

 towards each other. The female seldom attempts 

 to eat before the jnale, who, it i? observed, gene- 

 rally perches on ;the right side of his mate. 



A singular instance of the attachment of thesp 

 birds is recorded in Bonnet's Contemplation p# 

 Nature. A male and female of this specif s .were 

 lodged together in a large square cage, gt $ 

 bottom of which was placed the vessel vvhic,fo 

 contained their food. The male usually sat 9 

 the same perch with the female, ,and close besid$ 

 her. Whenever one descended fpr food, the 

 Other always followed; and when their hunger 

 .was satisfied, they returned together to the high- 

 st perch of the cage. They passed four ye#r 

 together in this state of cpnfinement; and frpn> 

 their mutual attentions and satisfaction, it wajs 

 evident that a strong affection for each other hajt 

 been excited. At the end of this period, the/ei- 

 male fell into a state of languor, which had every 

 symptom of old age ; her legs swelled, and knots 

 appeared upon them, as if the disease had 

 R 2 



