ALMOST HUMAN BIRD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 148, 9 November 1912, Page 9

ALMOST HUMAN BIRD

PARROT THAT WOULD TAKE CHARGE OF A BAP.. Stories of a wonderful bird, which died at Richmond, Victoria, last month, and was accorded a real funeral, being buried in the family vault of its sorrowful owner, are given in the Melbourne papers. This was a cockatoo which had been in the possession of Mrs. Allen, of the Spread Eagle Hotel, Richmond, for upward, of 20 years. "Cocky" Allan, as it was known, was no ordinary bird.' It was wonderfully intelligent. it could not only talk, but as '.Mr. Allan says, "could talk sense, too." Inasmuch as'it seldom spoke to a stranger without being first addressed, it had the manners of a true gentleman. Sometimes it broke the rule and gave very good advice to unthinking persons. It is related, in the Melbourne Herald, that on one occasion a plumber who was performing some work at the hotel, ceased his operations for the day, and was about to leave the premises. lie was startled to hear the bird call him back. The rebuke was heeded, and the plumber again pulled off his coat and set to work to clear the place up. "Cocky" Allan had few superiors in ; , bar. It was often left in sole charge. When a customer entered the bar it would promptly call: "Mrs. Allan, Mrs. Allan; you're wanted in the bar!" Then it would politely inform the customer, "Mrs. Allen will be here in a minute." The cockatoo was a connoisseur in regard to its food. Like most schoolboys, it loved puddings. But when its meal was a two-course one, it never attempted to reach its favorite dish with undue alacrity, It always ate its meat and potatoes first. It was more than the equal of many schoolboys at arithmetic. Visitors to the hotel have stood amazed as the bird counted the contents of the cash register. When Messrs W. Redmond and R. Hazelton, the Irish Home Rule envoys, were in Melbourne a few months ago, they heard of the bird, and went to see it. "He is almost human," was the summing up of Mr. Redmond. Some years ago Mrs. Allan visited England. After being absent for six months she returned, and one of the first to greet her was her pet. He exclaimed: "Don't you know me, Mrs. Allen? Don't you know me?" Mrs. Allan was at the time returning the greetings of some friends,' and had not at first noticed the bird. When it gained the attention of its mistress it showed its joy in demonstrative style. The bird was a native of South Australia, and came into Mrs. Allan's possession before it was fully fledged. A few weeks ago it appeared to be ill. Special prescriptions were given by a chemist, but they were without avail, and the bird died. It is supposed that it ate some poisonous substance.