98 KING PARROT, OR PARRAKEET. 



was wrapped up, all but a small space in front, in a blanket, and set 

 upon the dresser in a very warm kitchen, where the fire was kept up, 

 for the Parrot's especial benefit, all night as well as during the day; 

 he was fed on sponge-cake and hemp-seed, he would eat nothing else, 

 and a teaspoonful of sherry was put in his drinking water: in a couple 

 of days he was all right, screaming and chattering as usual. 



A lady of our acquaintance who has kept a King Parrot for four 

 years, sends us the following interesting account of her pet: — "My 

 King has been in my possession for four years, and the person who 

 had him before me had kept him three years, so that he is at lekst 

 eight years old, but probably nine, or more. I feed him upon canary- 

 seed, hemp, and boiled maize, and supply him with plenty of coarse 

 sand and fresh water; for he not only drinks freely, but is extraordi- 

 narily fond of washing himself. "When he came into my possession 

 he was in a very low weak state, and I thought I should have lost 

 him; he had been dieted for some time on canary-seed only, and could 

 scarcely stand, but by nursing him and giving him hemp and boiled 

 maize, and biscuit, captain biscuit, which I used to chew for him, he 

 soon came round, and has never ailed anything since. He is very 

 tame and gentle, and talks very nicely: some of the sentences he 

 pronounces very distinctly, 'Polly, put the kettle on'; "Mother, call 

 the doctor'; 'Mother, kiss your darling'; 'Kiss Sukey, there's a dear', 

 and so on: he is rather shy and silent before strangers, but is very 

 talkative and amusing when I am with him in the room alone. He 

 is in very fine condition, and apparently in the best of health." 



For the correctness of this description we can vouch, for we have 

 rarely seen a bird of this species in better feather, although he is kept 

 in the heart of London; he does not seem, however, to miss the fresh 

 air in the least, but appears to be perfectly happy and contented: for 

 companions he has a Grey Parrot, a CockatieL several Canaries, and 

 some Collared Doves. 



