62 THE PARROT. 



cheek is taken up with these great muscles. They 

 work both jaws the upper as well as the lower. 

 The Parrot's upper jaw is not fixed, as ours is. 

 It never snaps its "bill; but it can work its jaws 

 together, and in a way in which we cannot. 

 This is why the Parrot's bill is so amazingly 

 strong. 



If you could see some of the forest nuts that 

 it cracks, you would understand the reason of 

 this great provision of strength. 



The shell of the fruit is as hard as iron, but 

 the Parrot can wrench it open with its bill, or 

 drive a hole in it. While it does so, it holds the 

 fruit in its foot, as in a hand, and puts it in the 

 right position with its great fleshy tongue. 



What with its strong foot, its powerful bill, 

 and its jaws, the Parrot is amply provided for by 

 Nature, and able to maintain itself in plenty. 



Perhaps you would like to know how the Par- 

 rots spend the day when they are at home in 

 their native forests. 



Very early in the morning they rouse them- 

 selves from sleep, and begin to chatter, and 



