26 
ANIMAL CURIOSITIES 
Other birds that indulge in the practice of 
articulating words are the tui or parson bird 
of New Zealand, the Indian hill mynah, 
the raven, the jackdaw, the jay and the 
starling. 
In regard to the latter, it is a common belief 
that the bird is unable to talk unless its tongue 
is slit at the top. 
Such, however, is not the case, for no bird 
talks with the aid of that member, but produces 
the various sounds it utters entirely from the 
lower portion of its windpipe. 
Among the fish there are a large number 
of different kinds that possess voices. The 
American bow-fin is an example that is able 
to produce bell-like notes, while the sapphire 
gurnard or tub-fish emits a grunting or crowing 
noise, for which reason it is frequently called 
the 44 sea-cock.” Then, again, Sir J. Bowring 
tells us that a fish known as the dog’s tongue 
( Cynoglossus ), a kind of sole, about four inches 
long, that is in the habit of attaching itself 
to the bottom of boats, produces a sound 
like that of a Jew’s harp struck slowly, 
though sometimes it increases in volume and 
resembles the full tone and sound of an 
organ. 
Darwin, moreover, reports that a catfish, 
found in Rio Parana and called by the name 
