OF WILD ANIMALS 187 



" Gray parrots are generally considered the most intelligent 

 of their tribe, and are especially apt at imitating sounds, such 

 as running water, whistles, etc. I have one at home which 

 always answers a knock with 'Come in.' Often he furnishes 

 the knock himself by pounding the perch with his bill, following 

 it with 'Come in.' Amazon parrots are especially good at tunes, 

 some specimens being able to whistle complicated airs and 

 sometimes sing several verses in a high, clear voice. Both grays 

 and Amazons often talk with great fluency, vocabularies having 

 been reported of as many as one hundred words. Often there 

 seems to be intelligent association of certain acts or conditions 

 with corresponding sentences, these sometimes occurring with 

 singular patness. 



"Hill mynahs, of the genus Eulabes, often talk as well as, 

 parrots. The common introduced European starling often says 

 a few words quite clearly. I once knew a long-tailed glossy 

 starling {Lamprotornis caudatus) which shared an aviary with 

 an accomplished albino jackdaw. The starling had acquired 

 much of the jackdaw's repertoire, and the 'conversations' car- 

 ried on between the two birds were most amusing." 



A raven in the Zoological Park says "Arthur," "Shut up," 

 "All out" and "Now look what's here" as perfectly as any 

 parrot. 



Listed in the order of their ability to learn and remember 

 talk, the important talking birds are as follows: African gray 

 parrot, yellow-headed Amazon, other Amazons, the hill mynahs, 

 the cockatoos, the macaws, and the various others previously 

 mentioned. 



It is safe to assert that all migratory birds display excellent 

 powers of memory, chiefly by returning to their favorite haxmts 

 after long absences. 



Recognition of Persons. Mr. Crandall says there can 

 be no doubt of the ability of most birds to recognize individual 

 persons. This is seen in the smallest species as well as in the 

 largest. He once saw a bullfinch in the last stages of pneumonia 



