The Hoary Parrot. 299 



showers ; it continued whole hours exposed, and spread its wings 

 in order to receive the rain, and did not seek for shelter till it 

 was wet to the skin. After it had returned to its roost, it stripped 

 all its feathers, one after another through its bill. If the weather 

 was dry, it liked to bathe in a cistern of water, and entered into 

 it repeatedly, though very careful not to wet its head. But it 

 was as averse to plunge in winter ; and if then shown a vessel 

 of water it would run off, and even scream. Sometimes it was 

 observed to yawn, and this was almost always the symptom 

 of weariness. It whistled with more force and clearness than 

 a man ; but, though it expressed many tones, it could never 

 be taught to copy an air. It imitated perfectly the cries 

 of wild and domestic animals, particularly the crow, which 

 it mimicked so well, that it might have been taken for one. It 

 seldom prattled in a room with company ; but if alone in the ad- 

 jacent room, it was noisy in proportion to the loudness of the con- 

 versation which it overheard ; it seemed prompted to repeat pre- 

 cipitately all that it had learned. In the evening it retired of its own 

 accord to its cage, which it shunned during the day ; there with one 

 foot concealed in the plumage, or hooked to the bars of the cage, and 

 its head beneath its wings, it slept until it perceived the dawn of the 

 morning ; but it often awoke at the blaze of candles. Then it 

 stepped down at the bottom of the cage, and sharpened its claws, 

 using the same motion as the scratching of a hen. Sometimes it 

 whistled or prattled in the night when exposed to hght ; but in 

 the dark it was silent and tranquil. 



A very remarkable instance, is related of a parrot belonging 

 to Mr. Braham of Brompton, which was presented to him by a 

 lady who had bestowed great pains in teaching it to talk. This 

 gentleman had a friend dine with him one day, and after dinner 

 a pause having ensued in the conversation, the guest was startled 

 by a voice proceeding from one corner of the room, calling out 

 in a strong hearty manner, Come Braham, give us a song. Noth- 

 ing could exceed the surprise and admiration of the company. 

 The request being repeated, and not granted, the parrot struck 

 up the first verse of ' God save the king,' in a clear warbhng 

 tone, aiming at the style of the singer, and sung it through. The 

 ease with which this bird was taught, was equally surprising with 

 the performance. The same lady taught it to accost Madame 

 Catalani, when dining with Mr. Braham that it so alarmed her 

 that she nearly fell from her chair. On its commencing ' Rule 

 Britannia,' in a loud and intrepid tone, the chantress fell on her 

 knees before the bird, expressing in terms of delight, her admira- 



