TWENTY YEARS IN PANDEMONIUM

Shannon News, 10 August 1926, Page 4

TWENTY YEARS IN PANDEMONIUM

\ KEEPER OF PARROT HOUSE. Twenty years in pandemonium may bo said to be the experience of Mr W. Alden, head keeper of the Parrot House at tho London Zoo. Keeper Aldcn’s ears are so inured to discord, however, that he is quite proud of the vocal accomplishments of his charges. His particular favourite is probably Cocky, a flfty-five-yeai\old Australian silver-crested cockatoo., who came to the Zoo nineteen years ago. “.Cockey,” said Keeper Alden, “will ask to come out of his cage, pick his own key from a bunch, and open the door by lifting up the small latch. “He will turn somersaults upon command, and his usual remark to passers-by is ‘Want a drink?’ When people say ‘What?’ Cocky replies quite plainly: ‘Want a drink of water’ —as though he were afraid of. giving offence.” ''Another old favourite of mine is Norah, a blue and yellow macaw. When taken out of doors on her swing, the first thing calls out is ‘Hold tight!’ “She will bark and meow just like i a dog or cat, while another trick is to mimic people with a cold, coughing and sneezing exactly as they do. “We have had some ‘operatic stars’ here at times, including sev- - oral pels of Madame Patti, who, trained by her, used to run right up tho scale to the highest notes. Amongst our performing birds, Mary, a 'cockatoo, is a wonderful danedr. Though . a hundred years old (she still waltzes and jazzes. One of our most amusing birds is a small Senegal parrot, who will ‘die’ to order.

“In training parrots you must never lose your temper,” added Keeper Alden. “You have ‘to be very patient, but, when you have trained them, they will never forget. Some parrots,; however, are very vicious, and you can never teach them anything.”