288 BIRD BEHAVIOUR 



or a child learning to speak. Thus, I have known a 

 Lemon-crested Cockatoo which always said " Cocky 

 wants some breakfast " or " Cocl^ wants some 

 water " at meal-times, obviously not knowing the 

 exact words, but at any rate using expressions which 

 had something to do with refreshment. He never 

 said " Good-night " at such times, though he said 

 this regularly when left alone finally in the evening. 



Every one who has had acquaintance with one 

 of the larger and more intelligent Parrots will 

 recollect instances like this, and if Parrots do not 

 develop a higher degree of rational conversation 

 than they do, this is partly due to the fault of 

 their teachers, as well as to the paucity of ideas 

 one would expect in one of the lower animals. 



Other talking birds, such as Mynahs, Ravens, 

 etc., seem not to be so rational in their conversation 

 as Parrots, however good their enunciation may 

 be, and though I have heard Mynahs make some 

 astonishingly apposite-sounding remarks, this result 

 always seemed to me to be purely accidental, and 

 not due to the attempt to really utilize speech as 

 Parrot sometimes do. 



In Parrots at all events talking power has nothing 

 to do with sex, for female birds talk just as well 

 as males ; in fact, one experienced Sealer, Mr. C. P. 

 Arthur, who is also a taxidermist and has thus 

 dissected many of the well-known African Grey 

 Parrots, states that in his experience he never 

 came across a male of this species. This may have 

 to do with the fact — if it is a fact — that Parrots 



