148 
A NATURALIST ON THE PROWL. 
by was the owner and educator, pretending to be on duty. 
My friend knew something by experience of the danger of 
introducing Barrack parrots into polite society, so he asked 
the soldier, “ Does this parrot say any bad words ? ” With 
a faultless salute Mr. Atkins replied, “ I can’t say now, sir; 
she has been three days 
in this place.” My friend 
decided not to buy the pupil 
of such a master. 
But teach her what tongues 
you will, Polly never forgets 
her own, and this is my one 
objection to her as a pet. 
However happy you make 
her captivity, imagination 
will carry her at times to the 
green fields and the blue sky> 
and she fancies herself some- 
where near the sun, heading a long file of exultant com- 
panions in swift career through the whistling ain Then 
she opens her mouth and rings out a wild salute to all 
parrots in the far world below her. Like arrows through 
your cloven head those screams chase each other. If you 
n § , f 
