64 
MEMOIR OF PLINY. 
a clot of earth vp with her feet, and therewith liide 
her whole body, and so sane both herself and lier 
coney. To conclude, partridges (by report) live six- 
teene yeeres.” 
Of birds that have the faculty of articulation, Pliny 
mentions one called Taurus, because it lowed like an 
ox ; and another which could imitate the neighing of 
a horse. “ But aboue all other birds of the aire, the 
parrats passe for counterfeiting a man’s voice, inso- 
much as they will seeme to parle and prate our very 
speech. This foule comelh out of the Indies, where 
they call it sittace. It is all the body oner greene, 
onely it hath a collar about the necke of vermillion 
red, different from the rest of her feathers. The 
parrat can skil to salute emperors, and bid good mor- 
row ; yea, and to pronounce what words she heareth. 
She loueth wine well, and when she hath dranke 
freely is very pleasant, plaifnll, and wanton. She hath 
an head as hard as is her beak ; when she lernes to 
speak shee must be beaten about the head with a 
rod of yron, for otherwise she careth for no blowes. 
When she taketh her flight downe from any place, 
she lighteth vpon her bill, and resteth thereupon ; and 
by that meanes favoureth her feet, which by nature 
are weak and feeble. There is a certain pie, but of 
nothing so great reckoning and account as the par- 
rat, because shee is not far set, but hereby neere at 
hand ; howbcit, she pronounces that which is taught 
her more plainly and distinctly than the other. These 
take a loue to the words that they speak ; for they 
