70 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
the upper chap is connected, and makes but one piece with 
tiie skull ; but in these, and in one or two species of the fea- 
thered tribe more, the upper chap is connected to the bone 
of the head by a strong membrane, placed on each side, that 
lifts and depresses it at pleasure. By this contrivance they 
can open their bills the wider; which is not a little useful, 
as the upper chap is so hooked and so over-hanging, that, 
if the lower chap only had motion, they could scarcely gape 
sufficiently to take any thing in for their nourishment. 
The tongue of this bird somewhat resembles that of a 
man ; for which reason, some pretend that it is so well 
qualified to imitate the human speech; but the organs bv 
•which these sounds are articulated lie farther down in the 
throat, being performed by the great motion which the os 
hyoides has in these birds above others. 
The parrot, though common enough in Europe, will not, 
however, breed here. The climate is too cold for its warm 
constitution ; and though it bears our winter when arrived 
at maturity, yet it always seems sensible of its rigour, and 
loses both its spirits and appetite during the colder part of 
the season. 
The sagacity which parrots shew in a domestic state, 
seems also natural to them in their native residence among 
the woods. They live together in flocks, and mutually assist 
each other against other animals, either by their courage or 
their notes of warning. They generally breed in hollow 
trees, where they make a round hole, and do not line their 
nest within. If they find any part of a tree beginning to 
rot from the breaking off of a branch, or any such accident 
this (hey take care to scoop, and to make the hole suffi- 
ciently wide and convenient; but it sometimes happens 
that they are content with the hole which a woodpecker 
has wrought out with greater ease before them ; and in this 
they prepare to hatch and bring up their young. ' 
They lay two or three eggs ; and probably thelmaller kind 
may lay more ; for it is a rule that universally holds through 
nature, that the smallest animals are always the most prolific. 
It is not for the sake of their conversation alone that the 
parrot is sought after among the savages ; for, though some 
of them are but lough and ill-lasted, yet there are other sorts, 
particularly of the small parakeet tribe, that are very delicate 
food, 'i lie food of the cotton-tree intoxicates them in the 
same manner as wine does man ; and even wine itself is drank 
by parrots, by which they are thus rendered more talkative 
and amusing. But of all food, they are fondest of the car- 
thamus, or bastard saffron ; which, though strongly pur- 
