58 INTELLECTUAL AND IMITATIVE 



Parrot which was the wonder of the place. It 

 seemed endued with such understanding, as to 

 discern and comprehend whatever she said to it. 

 As we sometimes had to pass that woman's house, 

 she used to call upon us to stop, promising, if we 

 gave her a comb or a looking-glass, that she would 

 make her Parrot sing and dance to entertain us. 

 If we agreed to her request, as soon as she had 

 pronounced some words to the bird, it began not 

 only to leap and skip on the perch on which it 

 stood, but also to talk and to whistle, and imitate 

 the shoutings and exclamations of the Brazilians, 

 when they prepare for battle. In brief, when it 

 came into the woman's head to bid it sing, it sang ; 

 to dance, it danced. But if, contrary to our pro- 

 mise, we refused to give the woman the little 

 present agreed on, the Parrot seemed to sympathise 

 in her resentment, and was silent and immoveable ; 

 neither could we, by any means, provoke it to 

 move either foot or tongue." 



Father Bougot gives the following account of 

 the Yellow-winged Parrot, (^Psittacus ochropterus^ 

 " It is," says he, " extremely susceptible of attach- 

 ment to its master ; it is fond of him, but requires 

 frequent caresses, and seems disconsolate if ne- 

 glected, and vindictive if provoked. It has fits of 

 obstinacy ; it bites during its ill humour, and 

 immediately laughs, exulting in its mischief. Cor- 

 rection and rigorous treatment only harden it ; 

 gentle usage alone succeeds in mollifying its temper. 



** The inclination to gnaw whatever it can reach, 



