196 HISTORY OF 



voice also is more like a man's than that of any other ; the ra- 

 ven is too hoarse, and the jay and magpie too shrill, to resemble 

 the truth ; the parrot's note is of the true pitch, aiid capable of 

 a number of modulations that even some of our orators migh) 

 wish in vain to imitate. 



The ease with which this bird is taught to speak, and the 

 great number of words which it is capable of repeating, are no 

 less surprising. We are assured by a grave writer, that one of 

 these was taught to repeat a whole sonnet from Petrarch ; and 

 .hat I may not be wanting in my instance, I have seen a parrot 

 belonging to a distiller who had suffered pretty largely in his cir- 

 cumstances from an informer who lived opposite him, very ridi- 

 culously employed. This bird was taught to pronounce the 

 ninth commandment. Thou shalt not hear false witness against 

 thy neighbour, with a very clear, loud, articulate voice. The 

 bird was generally placed in its cage over against the informer's 

 house, and delighted the whole neighbourhood with its persever- 

 ing exhortations. 



Willoughby tells a story of a parrot, which is not so dull as 

 those usually brought up when this bird's facility of talking hap- 

 pens to be the subject. " A parrot belonging to King Henry 

 VII. who then resided at Westminister, in his palace by the river 

 Thames, had learned to talk many words from the passengers as 

 they happened to take the water. One day, sporting on its 

 perch, the poor bird fell into the water, at the same time crying 

 out, as loud as he could, A boat ! twenty pounds for a boat ! A 

 waterman, who happened to be near, hearing the cry, made to 

 the place where the parrot was floating, and taking him up, re- 

 stored him to the king. As it seems the bird was a favourite, 

 the man insisted that he ought to have a reward rather equal to 

 his services than his trouble: and, as the parrot has cried twenty 

 pounds, he said the king was bound in honour to grant it. The 

 king at last agreed to leave it to the parrot's own determination, 

 which the bird hearing, cried out, Give (he knave a groat," 



have discovered and taken the bees' nest, under the direction of the bird, 

 they generally reward him by leaving' fur him a considerable part of the 

 bad combs, which contain the grubs, and of which he seems to be particu- 

 larly fond." 



The Sacred Cuckoo is distinguished for the compass and melody of its 

 voice. It is held in great veneratiuii throughout the Indian peniusula. lu- 

 sects arc its usual food. 



