As to Conversational Parrots

1902

Do parrots understand what they say? A correspondent writes that a friend with a fine Brazilian parrot has been staying with her. The parrot a fluent and accomplished speaker. A gray parrot was introduced one day, but the Brazilian haughtily declined to have anything to say to the gray. Then another friend, who had just been given a newly imported green Brazilian, brought the newcomer to call.

The moment the parrots caught sight of each other they broke into a torrent of apparently articulate language, consisting, as it seemed, of questions and answers, but what the language was no one present could tell. The owner of the first parrot had never during the years it had lived with her heard it speak this strange tongue. The two parrots talked to each other without ceasing all the time they were together, and a few days later, when they met again, exactly the same thing happened. Was the first parrot — long exiled from its native forests — asking eagerly for news of its people? — London Chronicle.

Animal Planet — "Pets of Honduras"

1896

Honduras seems a paradise for pets. Parrots of every size, from that of a sparrow to the great green macaw, three feet long or more, can clamber all over and about the house and never know a cage. Chachalacas trot through the patios or courts of the houses in the towns, and bitterns stalk disconsolate about. Fawns and children play together in many a yard, and coons and sometimes an armadillo are playmates for little ones who have few dolls. In the Sambo hamlet of Ulun, a tame anteater was offered to me, and while we talked of it, a woman came in leading a gibeonite which took occasion to nibble its owner's bare heels while she bargained.

As I lay in a hammock in a Waikna hut one day, a peccary came within my reach. With a convenient stick I ventured to scratch his brown and bristly back. Down he flopped on his side and grunted in sweet content as long as the tickling went on. From that moment he was my ardent, much too ardent friend and faithful follower. I could not go ten steps without finding him at my heels, and his jealousy was as instant as it was fierce. Woe to the dog that dared come near me. A sudden rush, a quick upward thrust of those gleaming tusks and there was a bleeding gash in that dog's quarters, if he was not agile beyond the average of dogs. And the snapping of those tusks had a sound that was most suggestive, particularly to a white man groping in the dark for the olla that holds the drink. Peccaries are not really the nicest of pets for people whose visitors are nervous. — Outing.

Parrot Stories

1896

There was an old factotum in our family who used to sew for us, and who occasionally spent several weeks at a time at the house. She was somewhat of a character, had been married three times, and to distinguish her second dear departed was in the habit of calling him "my middle husband;" old maids she naturally did not approve of, remarking that they were the only things not prayed for in the Litany. The old woman was very deaf, and much shouting was needed to make her hear. One day many vain efforts were made to induce her to do a piece of work in a particular way, but she could not or would not see what was wanted, and at last, in despair, the lady of the house remarked to the nurse, "Oh, never mind; when she is gone, it must be altered." "Ah," remarked the parrot, in a loud, clear voice, "there's no fool like an old fool."

The parrot had on one morning been given a bath, or in other words, the garden watering can had been turned upon him, and he was placed in front of the fire to dry. There were two small kittens who also liked the warmth of the fire, and who were sitting one on each side of the cage. The bird walked first to one side, and looking down out of the corner of his eye, inquired, "Are you a good boy?" Then he sidled across to the other end of his perch and said to the other kitten, "And are you a good boy?"

One day two children of our family visited the house, and when alone amused themselves by mischievously pulling up some tulips, which grew in a pot in the room, by the roots, afterwards carefully replacing them. A little later Polly's master, to whom the plants belonged, came into the room, and immediately exclaimed, "Oh, look at my tulips; see how they are growing." Polly at once uttered two words, and only two; they were, "You ass!" I need hardly say that some time elapsed before the owner of the tulips was made acquainted with all the particulars of what had happened. — Chambers's Journal.

"Goodbye" to Doctor Costs Polly a Leg

1920

Door Nips It Off and Now Bird Must Wear a Peg

JEFFERSONVILLE, N.Y. — Dr. Cyril Mydole of this village has a parrot. The doctor bought the bird when she was a year old and gave her the real parrot name, Polly. Polly displayed much intelligence from the day he purchased her and in a few months developed startling vocabulary "cuss" words. Today the parrot is using her profanity freely and the doctor says she is justified.

Polly has been allowed the freedom of the physician's office. She would follow the doctor to his office door and bid him goodbye. On a recent afternoon the doctor started to leave his office. Just as he closed the door he heard a scream. He looked around and found Polly's leg had been caught in the door. Upon examination he found that the leg was so badly mangled that he amputated it at the second joint.

Polly is now forced to stand on her right leg. She says it is "damn hard luck," and hurls invectives at the doctor. As soon as Polly's injured leg heals the doctor will provide her with a peg leg.


Washboard Salary Halts Honeymoon

ST. LOUIS, Missouri — "On his salary she would have to use the washboard for a piano," said George W. Windmuller, in discussing the suit filed in the Circuit Court by his daughter, Mrs. Georgia Chembra, 16 years old, to annul her marriage to Albert L. Chembra.

She was married to Chembra by a justice of the peace in Clayton Jan. 28 last. He is 20 years old. After the ceremony she returned to her father's home, and he to that of his mother. When the girl's father learned of the marriage through the newspapers he refused to allow Chembra to see his bride.

Mrs. Chembra in her suit says her husband misrepresented his financial condition and his earning capacity.

Teaching Parrots To Talk

1900

An Undertaking That Requires Good Judgment

The natural tendency of some species of parrots to learn to talk is well illustrated at the zoo, where a collection of parrots was recently added to the animals and birds on exhibition.

In the confusion of sounds — the roaring of lions, the trumpeting of the elephant, the chatter of the monkeys, the stentorian commands of the animal trainers, and the blaring of the band — may be heard the shrill screech of the parrots.

An intent listener will discover that the birds are imitating the sounds they hear and some of them are repeating words which they catch in the general jargon of the place. Even Lecturer Rollins is imitated in some of his sentences describing the animals or the feats about to be performed. Alexander Day, assistant superintendent of the zoo, says that, like the wild animals which are capable of being trained, the parrots will early give evidence of their aptitude to learn to talk.

The best way to train a parrot to talk is, he says, to keep it in a room away from other birds or animals, and with its cage covered when the lessons are given. This is to teach the bird to distinguish the sounds alone and not the individuality of the teacher. The gray parrots are said to be the best talkers, although the Amazonian or green parrot is a good talker and is the one most commonly seen. These come from South America and the West Indies. The rosellas and macaws, which also come from the West Indies, can rarely be taught to talk. — Baltimore Sun.

The Haunted Maintop – Fright Aboard An English Ship

1889

How a Talkative Parrot Frightened the Tars of An English Ship

Talking about ghosts, writes a correspondent of the Sheffield (Eng.) Telegraph, our chief mate once told me that on board a ship in which he once served the mate on duty ordered some of the youths to reef the maintop sail. When the first got up he heard a strange voice saying: "It blows hard!" The lad waited for no more; he was down in a trice and told his adventure. A second immediately ascended, laughing at the folly of his companion, but returned even more quickly, declaring he was quite sure that a voice not of this world had cried in his ear: "It blows hard!" Another went, and another, but each came back with the same tale.

At length the mate having sent up the whole watch, ran up the shrouds himself, and when he reached the haunted spot heard the dreadful words distinctly uttered in his ear:

"It blows hard!"

"Aye, aye. old one; but blow it ever so hard, we must ease the ear-rings for all that," replied the mate, undauntedly, and, looking round, he saw a line parrot perched on one of the clews — the thoughtless author of the false alarms — which had probably escaped from some other vessel to take refuge on this.

Another of our officers mentioned that on one of his voyages he remembered a boy having been sent to clear a rope which had got foul above the mizzentop. Presently, however, he came back trembling, and almost tumbling to the bottom, declaring that he had seen "Old Davy" aft the cross-trees. Moreover, that the evil one had a huge head and face, with prick-ears and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent up in succession, to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was identified by each to be "Old Davy," sure enough.

The mate, in a rage, at length mounted himself, when resolutely, as in the former case, searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent cause of so much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to be out of sight to those who ascended on the other side of the vessel, but which, when any one approached the cross-trees, popped up his portentous visage to see what was coming. The mate brought him down in triumph, and "Old Davy," the owl, became a very peaceful shipmate among the crew, who were no longer scared by his horns and eyes, for sailors turn their back on nothing when they know what it is.

Had the birds in these two instances departed as they came, of course they would have been deemed supernatural visitants to the respective ships by all who had heard the one and seen the other.

Docility of Birds — Parrots

Docility of Birds

1877

A parrot of some note, in Brook's collection, was notoriously dainty. If food was proffered which its instinct or caprice rejected, it would take it with its foot and throw it down with an exclamation which sounded like "There!" Food to its liking was carefully examined, tasted, and then conveyed to the bird's own tin dish, in which it was packed close by pressure with the bill. If any of the children fell or was hurt, Poll was the first to give the alarm, and did not cease clamoring till the case was attended to.

A gentleman taught his parrot to descend from its perch at the word of command and to stand upon his finger; then, on another order, it turned back downward and hung on the finger by one foot, retaining its hold although it swung about ever so violently. It was very vain, and enjoyed showing its wings. It would walk on the ground backward, if ordered to do so, walking in this direction with the utmost ease. It was extremely fond of music; and with movements of the feet along the perch, danced to all lively tunes, its wings also moving, and its head moving backward and forward in correct time.

By a peculiar working of the serratures of file which all parrots have in the upper mandible, against the lower, it diligently strove to imitate the noise made by a scissors grinder who weekly visited, the street; but finding that this alone did not quite serve the purpose, it had recourse to the expedient of striking its claws against its tin covered perch, and accurately observing the time of the turning of the wheel, effected so exact an imitation once or twice a day that the neighbors said the man had become a perpetual nuisance.

Famous Missouri Parrot Dies At 52

Was a Wise Old Bird and a Great Talker.

Could Carry on a Conversation With Herself -- Cyclones Her Only Terror.

WEST PLAINS, Mo., May 20 -- "How firm a foundation, ye Saints of the Lord" ----

The shrill voice of "Polly" Langston, singing her favorite hymn while perched on the rail of the front porch of the home of Mrs. T. J. Langston, will be heard no more, for "Polly," Missouri's most famous parrot, is dead. And in the yard where "Polly" was wont to strut before strangers and play with the children, a grave has been dug and "Polly" laid to rest.

"Polly" died at the age of 52, after a very strenuous career. Born in Cuba, she swore in excellent Spanish at the age of 3. Taken to New Orleans, she attracted the attention of Dr. Thomas Bradford, Mrs. Langston's father, who was killed in the Marshfield, Mo., cyclone in 1880.

Taught to Pray and Sing.
When "Polly" was in her teens she was taught to pray and sing. Her favorite hymn was, "How Firm a Foundation," and she could sing several stanzas. But persons not in the family taught "Polly" to swear equally well. One night Dr. and Mrs. Bradford took her to a Methodist camp meeting. When the minister began "Polly" interrupted.

"Preacher, preacher! Pray for that ornery ------" and "Polly" named a prominent citizen. It almost broke up the meeting.

On another occasion, when a prayer meeting was held in the Bradford home, "Polly," overcome by the emotion of a sister, broke into prayer, and concluded with a volley of oaths in English and Spanish.

In the late '70s, the Barnum and Bailey circus visited Marshfield. "Polly," on the porch, volubly cussed the passing performers, roustabouts, animals and canvass men. P. T. Barnum was attracted and tried to purchase her.

"Do you think we'd sell one of our children?" Mrs. Bradford demanded.

Polly Survives a Tornado.
The Bradford home was demolished by a tornado in 1880. Rescuers, removing the dead and injured from the ruins of homes, heard a voice wailing, "Mamma, oh, mamma."

Thinking it was a child, they dug into the ruins of the Bradford home. They found "Polly" near the unconscious form of Mrs. Bradford. The doctor was dead.

Mrs. Bradford recovered, but her son died of his injuries. The pitiful and almost constant calling of "Polly" for "Pa" and "Buddie" caused Mrs. Bradford to send the bird to a married daughter, of this city.

Could Imitate Women's Small Talk.
"Polly" always attended the meeting of the Ladies' Aid and W. C. T. U. in the Langston home. She remembered the small talk on such occasions and one of her favorite pastimes was to carry on a conversation with herself.

"Good-by, Mrs. Smith," she would say.

"I had such a pleasant time."

"The cream was excellent."

"Do come again."

"Yes, thank you."

"Polly's" experiences in the tornado made her wary of storms, and with darkening skies she would hurry into the house. At the first peal of thunder she would cry, "Cyclone! Cyclone!" and seek the darkness of a closet.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, May 22, 1920, page 7.


Comment: The following article is from almost a year later, and in it Polly is 53 years old at the time of her death, not 52.

Polly Remembered Cyclone.

A parrot, named Polly Langston, died recently at the age of fifty-three. A native of Missouri, Polly was a feathered prodigy whose remarkable talents included many vocal and linguistic accomplishments. She could sing and talk in English as well as Spanish, her mother tongue; pray and sing several of the old familiar hymns, which she had picked up at church and social gatherings, besides having a wide repertory of conversational "small talk." At one time, when the circus came to her local town, and Polly had poured forth her sage salutations to the passing paraders, the attention of the late P. T. Barnum was attracted to her and a large cash offer was made for her, but her owner could not be induced to part with her. She remembered to her passing hour an event of her early life when a cyclone wrecked the town and brought death to scores of the inhabitants. Polly survived by a miracle but for more than 40 years afterwards whenever the dark clouds gathered she became so frantic with fear that it was necessary to put her where she would escape the lightning's flash and the roar of thunder.

--The Indiana Progress, Indiana, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1921, page 4.

Teaches Parrot to Swear at Husband; He Asks a Divorce

ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., May 20 -- If a wife teaches a parrot to "cuss out" her husband, is it sufficient grounds for divorce?

This issue has been put to Special Master in Chancery Slack in the suit brought by Maltby H. Messick, a city fireman and overseas veteran, against Mary R. Messick.

Mrs. Mamie Allen, a relative of the defendant, testified that during a visit to her home in Philadelphia Mrs. Messick had a parrot in the room with her constantly and it received a regular schooling in modern cussing.

Mrs. Messick, according to Mrs. Allen, said she was "teaching the bird to cuss and swear so it could express her opinion of her husband when he got home."

Messick, who was a top sergeant to Battery B, 112th Artillery, admitted the bird had an entirely new line "that was worse than any German gas he had bumped into!" Capt. Hiram Steelman, his old commander, now his counsel, pins his entire case on the linguistic parrot.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, May 22, 1920, page 1.