CAROLINA PARROT. 
121 
-alighted near me, looking down on their slaughtered 
companions with such manifest symptoms of sympathy 
and concern, as entirely disarmed me. I could not but 
take notice of the remarkable contrast between their 
elegant manner of flight, and their lame crawling gait 
among the branches. They fly very much like the 
wild pigeon, in close compact bodies, and with great 
rapidity, making a loud and outrageous screaming, not 
unlike that of the red-headed woodpecker. Their flight 
is sometimes in a direct line ; but most usually circuitous, 
making a great variety of elegant and easy serpentine 
meanders, as if for pleasure. They are particularly 
attached to the large sycamores, in the hollow of the 
trunks and branches of which they generally roost, 
thirty or forty, and sometimes more, entering at the 
same hole. Here they cling close to the sides of the 
tree, holding fast by the claws and also by the bills. 
They appear to be fond of sleep, and often retire to their 
holes during the day, probably to take their regular 
siesta. They are extremely sociable with, and fond of 
each other, often scratching each other’s heads and 
necks, and always, at night, nestling as close as possible 
to each other, preferring, at that time, a perpendicular 
position, supported by their bill and claws. In the 
fall, when their favourite cockle burs are ripe, they 
swarm along the coast, or high grounds of the Missis- 
sippi, above New Orleans, for a great extent. At such 
times, they are killed and eaten by many of the 
inhabitants ; though, I confess, I think their flesh very 
indifferent. I have several times dined on it from 
necessity, in the woods : but found it merely passable, 
with all the sauce of a keen appetite to recommend it. 
A very general opinion prevails, that the brains and 
intestines of the Carolina paroquet are a sure and fatal 
poison to cats. I had determined, when at Big Bone, 
to put this to the test of experiment ; and for that pur- 
pose collected the brains and bowels of more than a 
dozen of them. But after close search, Mistress Puss was 
not to be found, being engaged perhaps on more agree- 
able business. I left the medicine with Mr Colquhoun’s 
