116 



THE CAUOLINA PARROT. 



fate, poor Poll, having one morning, about daybreak, 

 wrought her way through the cage, while I^was 

 asleep, instantly flew overboard, and perished in 

 the Gulf of Mexico/' 



Numerous as this species of Parrot is in the 

 United States, we consider it not a little singular, 

 that neither Wilson nor Audubon has seen one 

 which could utter words ; from which circumstance 

 we may fairly conclude, that it is incapable of imi- 

 tating articulate sounds. But this is not at all 

 remarkable, as many of the tribe are devoid of this 

 faculty. 



^Vhen wounded and laid hold of, the Parrakeet 

 opens its bill, turns its head to seize and bite, and, 

 if it succeed, is cap.ible of inflicting a severe wound. 

 It is easily tamed by being frequently immersed in 

 water, and eats as soon as it is placed in confine- 

 ment. Nature seems to have implanted in these 

 birds a propensity to destroy, in consequence of j 

 which they cut to atoms pieces of wood, books, 

 and, in short, every thing that comes in their way. 

 On the ground, these birds walk slowly and awk- 

 wardly, as if their tail incommoded them. They 

 do not even attempt to run ofl* when approached by 

 the sportsman, should he come upon them unawares ; 

 but when he is seen at a distance, they lose no time 

 in trying to hide, or in scrambling up the trunk of 

 the nearest tree, in doing which they are greatly 

 aided by their bill. 



Their roosting place is in hollow trees, and in 

 tlic holes excavated by the larger species of Wood- 



