64 



INTELLECTUAL AND IMITATIVE 



Parrots have also been known to mimic gestm*es and 

 actions. Scaliger saw one that performed the dance 

 of the Savoyards, at the same time that it repeated 

 their song. It was fond of hearing a person sing ; 

 and when it sav/ any one dance, would try to 

 imitate them, but with a very awkward grace. 



The following curious circumstance occurred 

 with a couple of Parrots in London. A tradesman, 

 who had a shop in the Old Bailey, opposite the 

 prison, kept two Parrots, much to the annoyance of his 

 neiglibours, one of which was green, and the other 

 gray. The green Parrot was taught to speak when 

 there was a knock at the street door — the gray put 

 in his word whenever the bell was rung ; but they only 

 knew two short phrases of English a-piece, though 

 they pronounced these very distinctly. The house 

 in which these Thebans lived, had a projecting 

 old-fashioned front, so that the first floor could not 

 be seen from the pavement on the same side of the 

 way ; and one day, when they were left at home by 

 themselves hanging out of a window, some one 

 knocked at the street door. " Who's there?" said 

 the green Parrot, in the exercise of his ofl[ice. " The 

 man with the leather ! " was the reply ; to wliich the 

 bird answered with his farther store of language, 

 which was, " Oh, ho ! " Presently, the door not being 

 opened as he expected, the stranger knocked a second 

 time. " Who's there ?" said the green Parrot again. 

 " D — n you, who 's there !" said tlie man with the 

 leather, " why don't you come down?" to wliich 

 the Parrot again made the same answer, " Oh, ho ! ' 



