88 INTELLECTUAL AND IMITATIVE 



great avidity, that they may possess them before 

 they acquire the harsh and wild notes peculiar to 

 their species : but such is the demand for young 

 ones, that they are frequently unable to find a 

 sufficient number, and consequently take old birds, 

 which they shoot in the woods, by means of 

 heavy arrows, headed with cotton, which knock 

 down the birds without killing them : many of them, 

 however, die of the injuries they receive by the 

 fall. 



M. d'Azzara says, that the natives of Paraguay 

 capture Parrots in the following singular manner: 

 To the trees frequented by Parrots, two pieces of 

 wood are attached ; some pieces of stick are laid 

 across from the pieces of wood as far as the tree, and 

 a kind of cabin is constructed with palm leaves, of 

 sufficient dimensions to conceal an individual, who 

 carries with him a tame Parrot, which, by its cries, 

 attracts the wild ones, who come to its aid. The 

 bird-catcher being provided with a long wand, to 

 which is affixed a running knot of string, as soon 

 as the wild birds alight near the tame one, he 

 quickly passes the noose round their necks, and 

 captures them. Several of these wands are used at 

 a time, and as he is himself in ambush, he seldom 

 fails to take a bird with each. 



The savages of South America capture Parrots 

 for the purpose of food, as well as for disposing of 

 them. The larger species are said to be very tough 

 and ill tasted ; but some of the smaller kinds, 

 especially Parrakeets, are considered very delicate 



