PAR 
limited fenfe reftrifted to that clafs only wlilch is 
of a middle fize between the maccaw and the par- 
roquet. 
In the Linnsean diftribution of nature, the Par- 
rot makes a diftinft genus of birds of the order of 
picsj the diftinguifhing characters of which are: 
that the beak is hooked j that the upper mandible 
is furniflied with a moveable cere; that the noftrils 
are fituated in the bafe of the beak; that the 
tongue is flefhy, obtufe, and entire; and that the 
feet are formed for climbing. Linnasus enume- 
rates forty-feven fpecies. 
The Parrot is the beft known in this country of 
all foreign birds; and is defervedly admired, as it 
unites the greateft beauty with the greateft doci- 
lity. It's voice alfo imitates the human more 
than any other bird's: that of the raven is too 
hoarfe, and that of the jay and magpie too fhrill 
to refemble the truth; but the Parrot's note is of 
the true pitch, and capable of a number of modu- 
lations that even fomx of the human race cannot 
attain. 
The facility with which this bird is taught to 
fpeak, and the great number of words which it is 
capable of repeating, are no lefs furprifing. A 
grave writer aiTures us, that one of chem learned 
to repeat a whole fonnet from Petrarch; and 
Goidfmith afferts, that he faw a Parrot, the pro- 
perty of a diftiller who had fuffered pretty largely 
in his circumftances from an informer v/ho lived 
oppofite to him, that could pronounce, in a very 
diilin6t and audible voice, that part of the Deca- 
logue, ' Thou fhalt not bear falfe witnefs againft 
thy neighbour.' The bird was generally placed 
fronting the informer's houfe, and amufed the 
whole neighbourhood with it's perfevering exhor- 
tations. 
Willughby relates a ftory, which is much lefs 
dull than the generality of thofe which are ad- 
duced when this bird's facility of fpeech happens 
to be the fubjecl. ' A Parrot belonging to King 
Flenry VII. who then refided at Weftminfter, in 
his palace by the River Thames, had learnt to 
talk many words from the pafiengers as they hap- 
pened to take v/ater. One day, Iporting on it's 
perch, the poor bird fell into the water, at the 
fame time exclaiming, as loud as poffible, * A 
boat, twenty pound for a boat!' A waterman, 
who happened to be near, hearing the cry, made 
to the place where the Parrot was floating, and 
taking him up, reftored him to the King. As the 
bird happened to be a favourite, the man infifted 
that he ought to have a reward rather equal to his 
fervices than his trouble; and as the Parrot had 
mentioned twenty pounds, he faid that his majefly 
was bound in honour to grant it. The King 
agreed to leave it to the Parrot's ov/n det rmina- 
tion ; which the bird hearing, cried out, * Give 
the knave a groat.' 
Parrots, which are fo common in this country 
as foreign birds, are equally fo as indigenous 
ones in thofe climates where they are produced. 
The forefts f^^arm with them ; and the rook is not 
better known with us than the Parrot is in almoft 
every part of the Eaft and Weft Indies. In vain 
have naturaiifts attempted to arrange the various 
fpecies of this bird; new varieties daily prefent 
themfclves to puzzle the fyftem-maker, or to de- 
monftrate the narrownefs of his catalogue. Lin- 
naeus, as previoufly obferved, makes the number 
of it's varieties amount to forty-feven ; while Brif- 
fon extends his catalogue to ninety-five: and per- 
VoL. IL 
PAR 
haps even this lift might be increaled, were every 
accidental change of colour to be confidered as 
conftituting a new fpecies. But the fa6l is, na- 
tural hiftory gains little by thefe difcoveries; nor 
is the extenfion of it's dominions to be confidered 
as an advantage. It is afferted that the natives 
of Brazil can alter the colour of a Parrot's plu- 
mage by art; and as this may probably be the 
cafe, what an endlefs work is cut out for nomen- 
clators ! 
Thofe who import Parrots are content to make 
three or four diftindlions, to which they give 
names. The large kind, v;hich are about the fize 
of a raven, are called maccaws; the next fize are 
fimply called Parrots; thofe which are entirely 
v/hite are denominated lories ; and the leffer-fized 
ones are called parroquets. The difference be- 
tween thefe confifts rather in the fize than in any 
other peculiar conformation; they are all formed 
alike, having two toes before, and two behind, 
for the purpofes of climbing and holding; ftrong 
hooked bills, for breaking open nuts, and other 
hard fubftances on which they feed ; and loud, 
harfh voices, whereby they fill their native woods 
with almoft inceffant clamours. 
But there are other peculiarities in the confor- 
mation of thefe birds. Firft, their toes are con- 
trived in a fingular manner, which appears when 
they walk or climb, and likcwife when they are 
eating: for the firft purpofe they ftrctch out two 
of their toes forward, and two backward; bun 
when they take their meat, and bring it to their 
moi'ths with their feet, they dexteroufly and nim- 
bly turn the greater hind-toe forward, fo as to 
take a firmer grafp of the nut or fruit they are go- 
ing to devour, ftanding in the mean while on the 
other leg. Nor do they even prefent their food 
in the ufual manner; for other anim.als turn their 
meat inwards to the mouth; but thefe, in a feem- 
ingly aukward pofition, turn their food outwards, 
and thus hold the hardeft nuts, as if in one hand, 
till they break the fhells with their beaks, and ex- 
tradt the kernels. 
The bill of the Parrot is fafhioned in a ftill 
more fingular manner; the upper chap, as well as 
the lower, being moveable. In moft other birds, 
the upper chap is connefted, and makes but one 
piece with the fkull ; but in thefe, and a few other 
fpecies of the feathered tribe, the upper chap is 
connefted to the bone of the head by a ftrong 
mem.brane, placed on each fide, that lifts and de- 
prefTes it at pleafure: by this contrivance they 
can open their bills the wider; which is extremely 
beneficial, as the upper chap is fo hooked and 
overhanging, that if the lower chap onlv had mo- 
tion, they could fcarcely open their mouths wide 
enough to admit nourifhment. 
Such are the ufes of the beaks and toes of thefe 
birds when ufed feparately; but they are often 
employed together, when the creatures are exer- 
cifed in climbing. As Parrots cannot readily 
hop from bough to bough, their legs not being 
adapted to that purpofe, they ufe both their beaks 
and feet; firft catching hold with their beaks, as 
with a hook; and drawing up their legs, and 
faftening them ; then advancing their heads and 
beaks again, and fo putting forward their bodies 
and feet alternately, till they attain the heights at 
which they aim. 
The tongue of the Parrot fomewhat refembles 
the human; for which reafon, fome pretend that it 
is fo well qualified to imitate the voice of a man : 
