462 THE PHILOSOPHY 



NotwithftanJing the many farprifing a£lions which differ- 

 ent quadrupeds may be taught to perform, none of them, 

 though their organs are much more perfect than thofe of 

 birds, have ever been able to pronounce articulate founds- 

 But many birds, without much inftrudlion, learn to pro- 

 nounce words, and even fentences. In parrots, the diflin- 

 guifliing accuracy of their ear, the acutenefs of their atten- 

 tion, and their ftrong inftin^live propenfity to imitate founds 

 of every kind, have juftly procured them univerfal admira-^ 

 tion. When in a ftate of domeftication, the parrot learns to 

 pronounce the common ftreet-calls, befide many words and 

 phrafes occaiionally employed by the family in which he re- 

 fides. Though the limitation of his mental powers does 

 not permit him to learn any extent of language, or the proper 

 ufe and meaning of words, he not unfrequently difcovers the 

 alTociation between the obje£l: and the found. A woman 

 every morning pafTed the window, where a parrot's cage was 

 fixed, calling fait. The parrot foon learned to imitate the 

 call. But, before any found could be heard, he no fooner 

 caft his eye upon the woman than he tittered her ufual call. 

 In this, and many other limilar cafes, the objects and the 

 founds are evidently connecSted in the mind of the animal. 

 How far thefe afTociations might be carried by a patient and 

 perfevering education, it is difficult to determine. In this 

 manner, however, parrots might be taught a conliderable vo- 

 cabulary of fubfkantive nouns, or the proper names of com- 

 mon objeds. But his intellect, it is more than probable, 

 would never reach the ufe of the verb, and other parts of 

 fpeech. 



Behde parrots, jays. Sec. who learn to pronounce articu- 

 late founds, there is another race of birds whofe docility de- 

 fervcs to be mentioned. Singing birds, thofe lively and fpi- 

 rited little animals, attempt not to articulate. But their mu- 

 ilcal cars are as delicate and difcerniug as their voices are 



