File:The history of birds - their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied (14770194713).jpg

Identifier: historyofbirdsth00bing (find matches)
Title: The history of birds : their varieties and oddities, comprising graphic descriptions of nearly all known species of birds, with fishes and insects, the world over, and illustrating their varied habits, modes of life, and distinguishing peculiarities by means of delightful anecdotes and spirited engravings
Year: 1880 (1880s)
Authors: Bingley, William, 1774-1823
Subjects: Birds Zoology
Publisher: Philadelphia : Edgewood Publishing Co.
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
A Parrot which Colonel O'Kelly bought for a hundred guineas at
Bristol, not only repeated a great number of sentences, but answered
many questions: it was also able to whistle many tunes. It beat time
with all the appearance of science ; and so accurate was its judgment
that, if by chance it mistook a note, it would revert to the bar where
the mistake was made, correct itself, and still beating regular time,
go through the whole with wonderful exactness. Its death was thus
anounced in the General Evening Post for the ninth of October,
1802: " A few days ago died, in Half Moon Street, Piccadilly, the
celebrated Parrot of Colonel O'Kelly. This singular bird sang
number of songs in perfect time and tune. She could express her
wants articulately, and give her orders in a manner approaching
nearly to rationality. Her age was not known; it was, however,
more than thirty years, for previously to that period, Mr. O'Kelly
bought her at Bristol for a hundred guineas. The Colonel was re-
peatedly offered five hundred guineas a year for the bird, by persons
Text Appearing After Image:

OUR POLLY. 85

86 THE COMMON ASH-COLORED PARROT.

who wished to make a public exhibition of her; but this, out of
tenderness to the favorite, he constantly refused. The bird was dis-
sected by Dr. Kennedy and Mr. Brookes; and the muscles of the
larynx, which regulate the voice, were found, from the effect of
practice, to be uncommonly strong."
The sister of M. de Buffon had a Parrot of this species which would
frequently talk to himself, and seemed to fancy that some one
addressed him. He often asked for his paw, and answered by
holding it up. Though he liked to hear the voice of children,
he appeared to have an antipathy to them ; he pursued them, and
bit them till he drew blood. He had also his objects of attachment;
and though his choice was not very nice it was constant. He was
excessively fond of the cook-maid ; followed her every where, sought
for, and seldom missed finding her. If she had been some time out
of his sight, the bird climbed with his bill and claws to her shoulders
and lavished on her on her his caresses.

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