2e0 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE.

tities of very small insects. The general colour is a rich
golden green on the upper parts; the breast and neck are
of a dusky white. Its nest is very small, and is elegantly
lined with the down of the mullein. It is covered on the
outside with moss, to imitate the colour of the limb on which
it is built.

ORDERIII. The parrots never fail to interest, on account
The Parrots. of their beauty of form and colour, and theiz
aptitude forimitating common sounds. There are some hundreds
of species, belonging to different parts of the world, the
Cockatoos to Australia, the Macaws to America, and many
varieties to Africa. The Macaws and some other kinds
are among the most gorgeous of living birds and whether
seen in their native wilds or in the aviaries of civilisation
never fail to excite admiration. The Cockatoo is distinguished
from the true parrot by its crest ; other species are differentiated
by habit, size, colour, and form. The better known of these
are, the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, the Ground parrot, the
Macaw, the Grey parrot, the Green parrot, the Parrakeets
and the Love-birds.

The Parrot’s Many stories are told of the remarkable powers
Intelligence. of individual parrots and the singular appropri-
ateness of their remarks on particular occasions. These are
often so startling as to arouse suspicion of their authenticity,
and yet a moment’s reflection will show that coincidence
plays a large part in these demonstrations, and that many of
the most astonishing examples of felicitous interjection, or
repartee, are due to this, and not to any special gift of
intelligence on the part of the bird. An ordinary parrot with
half a dozen phrases which it is constantly repeating, will in
the nature of things, often use them in singularly felicitous
connection with current conversation. No notice is taken of
the many instances in which the phrase is inappropriate and
yet a few cases of remarkable fitness are held to demonstrate
extraordinary intelligence. Teach a parrot such a simple

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