254 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



waiting some time, and not Uncling the door opened, the 

 man knocked again. ''Who is there?" again asked the 

 green parrot. "Who's there?" cried the porter outside. 

 •' It's I, the man with the leather ; why don't you open the 

 door ? " " All right ! " repeated the parrot, which so en- 

 raged the man that he furiously rang the bell. "Go to 

 the gate ! " shouted a new voice, which proceeded from the 

 gray parrot. " To the gate ! " repeated the man, seeing no 

 gate ; " what gate ?" " Newgate ! Newgate ! " responded 

 the gray parrot. The porter was enraged ; but, stepping 

 across the street, the better to answer what he supposed to 

 be the insolence of the house-maids, he saw that he had 

 been outwitted and teased by a couple of parrots. 



5. This same Morley had been employed by a gentle- 

 man, who had heard of his knowledge of birds, to purchase 

 for him a white cockatoo. The price was of less impor- 

 tance than the health, disposition, and breeding of the bird. 

 She was to use no bad language, be subject to no fits of 

 passion, have been trained to be handled by women and 

 children, and be cleanly in her habits. Morley took great 

 pains to please his employer, and at last sent him home 

 perhaps the moat perfect specimen of the breed ever seen 

 in London. As I saw the bird ten years ago, nothing in 

 the way of ornithological beauty could surpass it. Of pure, 

 snowy white from top of crown to tip of tail ; without a 

 speck of lead, gray, or crimson on a single feather ; free 

 from all sign, of cross with paroquet or macaw ; and in 

 shape, attitude, bearing, and action, as distinguishable as a 

 blooded horse — " Beauty," as she was called, stood unri- 

 valed. 



6. When she was sent home, there was perfect satisfac- 

 tion ; the employer was pleased, as he well might be ; the 

 family of daughters in ecstasies of admiration ; and Morley 

 richly remunerated for his trouble. But the bird would 

 not talk. This was attributed at first to fear, then to 



