An Ancient Parrot

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 38, 7 May 1927, Page 22 (Supplement)

An Ancient Parrot

AI’ARROT, believed to be more than 120 years old, is at present living in a house in Philbeach Gardens, London. This bird, though devoid of feathers on its breast and back, still has fine red tail feathers

and a mass of grey feathers on its wings. All day long, despite his reputed age, he Salks, swings on a rope, and plays with a ball. Colonel W. B. Ferris, its owner, recently told a “Daily Mail” reporter something of its story. He said he had known Peter, his parrot, for 55 years, and he was just as bald in 1872 as he is now. He was in India at the time, the property of the Maharajah of Kolhapur, and was then known to be of great age. The maharajah told Colonel Ferris that Peter was originally the tribal mascot of the

Rajah of Satara. In 1801 a British soldier captured him after a battle between the English and the Rajah, but he was returned later. “In 1844,” related Colonel Ferris, “Peter was handed to the Maharajah of Kolhapur, who gave him to me. Peter was then known for hundreds of miles round as the ‘Maharajah Parrot.’

“Since 1908 Peter has been in England with me and all the children round know him. He mimics all their voices and will imitate anything, such as the bark of a dog, to perfection. “When I was Governor of Aden, Peter nearly caused an ‘international incident.’ A Russian admiral called on me, and when I entered the room I saw he was annoyed. ‘Has that bird been taught to insult foreigners?’ he asked. ‘No,’ I replied. ‘Well,’ he added, ‘when I came into the room I said, ‘Good morning, Pretty Polly,’ and the bird replied, ‘You infernal bounder.* ” It took me some time to pacifv the admiral.