THE PARROTS. 291

rejoinder as “not I!” and the bird using it in answer to all
sorts of questions, will often use it with apparent intelligence,
but a doll might be made to show equal wit. That parrots
are taught to give certain answers to certain questions is of
course true, but in these cases the questions suggest the answers
and all the intelligence is shown by the interrogator. Those
birds which have lived many years and acquired many phrases,
will naturally, from the extent of their repertoire, the more often
surprise their hearers; but that they show any greater intelli-
gence may perhaps be doubted. That some of the parrots,
and especially the Love-birds, show great feeling for each
other and attachment to their owners is well known, but the
claim sometimes made that they show greater intelligence
than any other birds may be very safely disputed. The term
“ parrot-like,” as applied to the repetition of lessons by rote
which are not understood by those repeating them, involves
no injustice to the parrot.

Famous There have been many famous parrots who

Parrots. have played their part in history if they have
not rivalled the geese that saved Rome. The Emperor Basilius
Macedo was induced by a Parrot, who cast a gloom over
the guests at a banquet by continually calling out, “Alas,
alas! poor Prince Leo”, to liberate his son whom he had
confined on suspicion of treason. The Emperor observed the
gloom of his guests and urged them to the pleasures of the
table, when one of them is said to have responded, “How
should we eat, Sire, when we are thus reproached by this
bird of our want of duty to your family? The brute animal
is mindful of its Lord; and we that have reason, have neg-
lected to supplicate your Majesty in behalf of the prince, whom
we all believe to be innocent, and to suffer under calumny.”
Whether. the bird had been purposely taught this phrase, or
had merely acquired it by hearing its frequent repetition does
mot appear. The following memorial which appeared in the
London papers in October 1822 is quoted from the “Percy