DANCING COCKATOO

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 30, 28 April 1927, Page 16

DANCING COCKATOO

CHARLESTON TILL THIRSTY “GIVE US A KISS” Old Bill, the comedian cockatoo at the London Zoo, has learned the Charleston; and very proud he is of the accomplishment. His keeper whistles an appropriate tune and Bill hops down from his perch and dances merrily, flapping his

wings and whistling ir. wonderful unison with the keeper. One of his weaknesses is a perpetual thirst. This will sometimes show itself in the middle of a dar.ce, when n will suddenly stop with the peremptory demand: “Give us a drink” Until the refreshment is forthcoming he will decline to move another too or flap another wing. M Lately he has developed a distin sense of humour. When anyone knoc at the door of the room (adjoining “j keeper’s) in which he is h°us<ed, calls out: “Come in” so cleverly im * tated that most people think it is keeper himself. . One can almost detect the mischi ous twinkle in Bill’s eys w^ie J l -n----astonished visitor discovers the dec P tion. . But Bill does not leave it at “Hello!” says he, “what do you warnIf the visitor, as is usually C gJjj is too much taken aback :o repl ** *'_ proceeds to offer a little encourag m “Come on!” he calls out invitingly- “ Give us a kiss; come on!” _.jj To decline the invitation means uttering the sharp reproof, the matter with you, eh?” . <Aj r_ nW '” Espying a cat he called: Pussy stopped and gave a pi . “Meow!” in return, whereupon .. corrigible Bill promptly re nussy “Give us a kiss; come on. v a ignored the request. Bill ga tln g well-simulated “Meow! as a P shot. n f anOne day Bill had harlesnoyancp. A little girl did the Lna ton in front of his cage in the thought it ought to be done _ n Bill literally shrieked the place e(J “What’s the matter with you. Y he as the child was led away ‘ r-harles-Bill brooks no rival where