The Natural History of Cage Birds: Their Management, Habits, Food, Diseases, Treatment, Breeding, and the Methods of Catching Them.Bechstein, Johann Matthäus
Science
The Natural History of Cage Birds: Their Management, Habits, Food, Diseases, Treatment, Breeding, and the Methods of Catching Them.
Bechstein, Johann Matthäus
Cage birds
ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES.--This parrot, like the following, learns not
only to speak and whistle, but also to make all kinds of gestures;
and it even performs some tricks which require skill. It is
particularly distinguished by its pleasing and caressing behaviour to
its master. As an example of the talents of this species, Buffon
gives an account of one which, "being instructed on its voyage by an
old sailor, had acquired his harsh, hoarse voice so perfectly that it
was often mistaken for him. Though it was afterwards given to a young
person, and no longer heard the voice, it never forgot the lessons of
its old master; and it was exceedingly amusing to hear it pass from a
soft pleasing voice to its old hoarse sea tone. This bird not only
has a great facility in imitating the voice of man, but it also seems
to have a wish to do so, and this wish is shown in its great
attention, the efforts which it makes to repeat the sounds it hears,
and its constant repetition of them, for it incessantly repeats any
words which it has just learnt, and endeavours to make its voice
heard above every other. One is often surprised to hear it say words
and make sounds, which no one had taught it, and to which it was not
even suspected to have listened. It seemed to practise its lesson
every day till night, beginning again on the next morning. It is
while young that it shows this great facility in learning; its memory
is then better, and the bird is altogether more intelligent and
docile. This memory is sometimes very astonishing, as in a parrot
which, as Rodiginus tells, a cardinal bought for one hundred crowns
of gold, because it could repeat correctly the Apostles' Creed; and
M. de la Borde tells us of another which served as chaplain to the
vessel, reciting the prayer to the sailors, and afterwards repeating
the rosary."
THE CERAM LORY.
Psittacus garrulus, LINNÆUS; Le Lori Noir variété dite de
Ceram, BUFFON; Der geschwätzige Lory, BECHSTEIN.
It is of the size of a pigeon, its length being from ten to eleven
inches. The colours vary very much; but the following are the most
common. Beak orange-coloured, naked membrane at its base, and the circle
of the eyes grey; the iris deep yellow, and feet brown. The
predominating colour of the body is bright red; but the small
wing-coverts are a mixture of green and yellow.
It comes from the Moluccas, and is treated like the preceding, which it
equals in docility.
THE BLUE-CAPPED LORY.
Psittacus domicella, LINNÆUS; Le Lory demoiselle, ou à
collier, BUFFON; Der blauköpfige Lory, BECHSTEIN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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