THE CAROLINA PARROT. 



109 



especially is infested by numerous minute insects, 

 all of which shift fi^om the skin to the surface of the 

 plumage, immediately after the bird's death/' 



" A very general opinion prevails, that the brains 

 and intestines of the Carolina Parrakeet are a sure 

 and fatal poison to cats. I had determined, when 

 at Big Bone, to put this to the test of experiment; 

 and for that purpose collected the brains and bowels 

 of more than a dozen of them. But after close 

 search. Mistress Puss was not to be found, being 

 engaged perhaps on more agreeable business. I 

 left the medicine with Mr Colquhoun's agent, to 

 administer it by the first opportunity, and WTite me 

 the result ; but I have never yet heard from him. 

 A respectable lady near the town of Natchez, and 

 on whose word I can rely, assured me, that she 

 herself had made the experiment, and that, whatever 

 might be the cause, the cat had actually died either 

 on that or the succeeding day. A French planter 

 near Bayo Fourche pretended to account to me for 

 this effect, by positively asserting, that the seeds of 

 the cockle burs, on which the Parrakeets so eagerly 

 feed, were deleterious to cats ; and thus their death 

 was produced by eating the intestines of the bird. 

 These matters might easily have been ascertained 

 on the spot, which, however, a combination of 

 trifling circumstances prevented me from doing. I 

 several times carried a dose of the first description 

 in my pocket till it became insufferable, without 

 meeting with a suitable patient, on w hom, like other 



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