THE PARROTS 129 



Cockatoos alighting on a newly-ploughed field. So elegant 

 and orderly are their movements before they alight that 

 even the farmer whose seed oats they are after cannot 

 help admiring them." 



Cockatoos make admirable pets. They have tempers 

 of their own, but they have also a great deal of affection, 

 if it can be called out. And their cleverness is often 

 almost past belief 



The late Mr. Charles Buxton had one which he wanted 

 to keep chained to a perch. " But though a first-rate 

 London locksmith tried everything his ingenuity could 

 suggest, the Cockatoo beat him utterly. Without break- 

 ing it he contrived to open the ring or other contrivance 

 for holding him, with his beak, though one or two of them 

 must, one would have thought, have needed great study 

 to understand." 



Like the Grey Parrot the Cockatoo is often a famous 

 talker. Many are the stories told of this wonderful power 

 of his. Here are one or two which will be new to you. 

 The narrator of the story heard one of these birds saying 

 to himself, " One, two, three, four, five, six, eight — bother 

 it, I've forgotten the seven again." It was said in the 

 most droll way, and followed by a hearty laugh which was 

 positively human. 



One of Mr. Buxton's Cockatoos, who had lived near a 

 farm and had been petted and taught a good deal, was 

 being conveyed by train to Northrepps, where Mr. Buxton 

 had a house, when he suddenly electrified his fellow- 

 passengers by an exact imitation of the screams of a 

 dying pig ! It was one of the farm-yard noises which 

 had evidently much impressed him. With such a clever 

 mimic, to remember was to imitate — which he took care 

 to do, at the earliest opportunity. 

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