Parrot Stories.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 436, 11 January 1890, Page 3

Parrot Stories.

There is much difference of opinion as to .whether a parrot merely imitates or whether it be possessed of reason. Sure the parrot who keeps jabbering ‘piebby polly ’ does nob seem endowed with much brains, bub what must be said when we hear such parrot stories as the following, for which the New Orleans ‘ Picayune ’ is willing to vouch for the truth pure and unvarnished ? A lady owned a handsome parrot, and leaving New Orleans one summer she gave her pet to a friend’s civre. Polly soon became at home in its new quarters, would bow its head to its new mistress and f&y in softest tones :— ‘ That’s it, rub polly’s head so, so. darling, rub Polly’s head.’ That was imitative. What is this ? One day its mistress was eating plums. Polly was near ; looking up, tho young lady laughed and said : —* Aha, Polly, I have plums and am nob going to give you any.’ ‘I don’t care,’ said Polly, ‘I don’t want any anyhow.’ A parrot belonging to a dear friend of the writer was very much annoyed by pigeons, who would enter his cage every morning as soon as he had left it and devour the remains of his breakfast. A bright thought—so it seems —came to polly. One day as he left the cage for his morning walk, he turned and shut the door of his cage and then gave a dpfiant look at the marauder pigeons. This he alvyays did afterward and thus saved his breakfast,

Still another parrot story, also true;— Once upon a time a parrot lived in a family that was very religious. The bird was accustomed to hearing daily prayers and verses of Scripture. One day, after a severe illness, in spite of care and attention, the parrot died." Its last words were, 4 The Lord be with you.’