THE INTELLECT OF PARROTS 261 



alighted in a strategic position on the corner of a 

 flat roof where it could not be assailed from behind ; 

 and when two Crows appeared, evidently anxious 

 to obtain its booty, the entrails of a fowl, which 

 trailed across the roof for a foot or so away from 

 it, the Kite gathered up this loose portion under its 

 feet, and went on with its meal in a most uncon- 

 cerned way, while the disappointed Crows sheered 

 off in search of something easier to steal. 



Although one must not attach undue importance 

 to their power of imitating our speech, there can 

 be no doubt, I think, that Parrots are highly intelli- 

 gent birds ; in fact, I can never understand why 

 they are not still placed, as they were by some 

 naturalists, such as Edward Blyth, quite the greatest 

 of ornithologists, at the head of the bird class, 

 since they present so many analogies with the 

 monkeys amongst mammals. Even the little Bud- 

 gerigar, with its Finch-like habits, is a far more in- 

 telhgent bird than any ordinary Finch, for, once 

 its nervousness is overcome, it readily learns tricks, 

 much more so, I am told by Mr. J. Harris, who 

 makes a speciality of training these birds, than the 

 Greenfinch, a bird of about the same size, and 

 not stupid as Finches go. \ 



Most people would probably say the common 

 grey African Parrot is the most intelligent of birds, 

 and, though its natural shyness results in its intelli- 

 gence being known generally only to its immediate 

 acquaintance, I have twice known it do remarkably 

 human things. In one case a bird boarded out 



