Now the attempt may be made to scratch the head while saying a few words coaxingly, especially such words as it already knows; this should be done in the twilight, or in the evening by gas light; soon it will be pleased with such caresses, and will even put its head into its master's hand. These attempts should always be made through the cage bars, through which one should be able to reach easily (see ante, p. 21). The whole arm should never be put through the cage door, for this always makes the bird violent. Only after a long time, when it is quite accustomed to be stroked through the bars, and is no longer shy, should one begin to open the cage door and let it come out, and, then, not unless the room is quite quiet; it must also have plenty of time to make up its mind, even if it be some hours, before it comes out, and climbs on the roof of the cage. Very soon it will look for this freedom with impatience. While it is out of the cage the owner should devote a great deal of attention to it. If it be tame enough to take food from the hand, catch a finger in its beak without biting, or push its head into the hand while one scratches the plumage with the other, then it is time it should learn to perch on the hand. If it should take too long a time to coax it to do this voluntarily, the bird must be accustomed by forcible means to do it (see p. 37). In the course of a week it will certainly be got to do so of its own free will.

Before I enter upon the practical directions for training, I must first pronounce my verdict against an extremely improper, but unfortunately widespread, prejudice. This is the so-called "loosing of the tongue," which many people, however, consider absolutely necessary, and which others, for their own advantage, declare to be desirable. I had, in common with other writers on this subject, firmly believed that the idea that a bird's tongue must be loosed in order that it may learn to speak, only found favour among uneducated people, and, therefore, had supposed it to be unnecessary to speak at length about this superstition; whereas now I find that it is much more general than one could imagine. I even heard lately that it was taught in a young ladies' school of considerable standing. I also, from time to time, receive inquiries on this subject. Therefore, it must now be distinctly declared that it is not necessary to loose the tongue of any bird, but that it is great cruelty to animals, and only brings profit to those men who speculate on the simplicity of others.

The bird should be tamed and taught to speak at the same time. If it be already tame, it may be put at once into a roomy cage, but if not, this should not be done for a week or two.

Let us now turn our attention to the teaching, for which, above all things (besides the conditions spoken of on p. 38), a friendly footing with the parrot, and loving sympathy with birds in general, together with quiet, are necessities. Every morning, on first going into the room where the parrot is, and every evening, as well as several times during the day, one word first, very distinctly pronounced, should be said to it clearly and sharply, and, if possible, all drawling, lisping, or other mispronunciation avoided. A full-toned word, with the vowel "a" or "o," and also with a hard consonant, such as "k," "p," "r," or "t," should be chosen, and hissing sounds avoided. The trainers in the seaport towns and the sailors on board ship usually teach the parrots the words "Jacko! " "Cockatoo!" "hurrah!" "Polly!" etc, and afterwards "good Cocky!" "pretty Poll!" and others.

A Grey Parrot which I had had for a long time, which I considered valueless as a speaker because it would not learn anything, and with which I had determined to make an attempt at breeding, suddenly pronounced the words "The doctor!' which the servant had often used in announcing a stranger. Experience teaches us that every parrot learns more easily from a female voice, which probably sounds more melodious to it.

While the parrot is learning to speak it must be treated kindly, so that it may gain confidence, and, in particular, it must not be terrified, as it is apt to be at first on the approach of anyone, nor made nervous and shy, but kept quiet and attentive, in order that it may intelligently heed the teaching it receives. This should not, indeed, consist of merely training the parrot to repeat certain words, but everything said must awaken in its mind a distinct perception. For this it is necessary that it should have some conception of place, time, space, and other circumstances. "Good morning! ' should be said early; "Good evening!" or "Good night!" late. "How do you do?' and "I am glad to see you!" on arrival, and "Good-bye! ' on going away. One should knock, and then call out "Come in!" count out tit-bits to the bird, "One, two, three!" or names, "Nut, almond, apple!" Later on, it should be praised when it is good and obedient, and scolded when it is obstinate or will not obey. An intelligent bird soon comprehends such things, and it is often really astonishing with what sharpness and certainty it learns to know and distinguish under such circumstances. In teaching the parrot to sing one or more songs, or to whistle airs, care must be taken that only one key be made use of, whether it be taught by the mouth or by means of a flute.

The parrot should at first be taught easy words, and progress by degrees to more difficult ones. Every day, or at least from time to time, all that the bird has hitherto learnt, almost from the very beginning should be repeated, and only when it is quite certain that it has all this by rote, or when it has been recalled to its recollection, should new words be repeated to it. In doing this, there must be no prompting while the bird practises, if it stop in the middle of a word, or a wrong double-syllabled pronunciation of the word may be learnt. One must wait always until it has ceased to speak, and then pronounce the word or sentence clearly once more. In breaking off the habit of uttering unpleasant or disgusting words and sounds, one must be careful not to laugh at them, for that would only incite the bird to pursue its evil ways the more eagerly, just as is the case with children. It can only forget them if they are never repeated in its presence, and a yet better plan is to interrupt it with some desirable expression the moment it begins to pronounce them. Constant practice is necessary, not only for the bird which is being trained, but also for finished speakers; and it must always be borne in mind that being at a standstill in any kind of learning means falling off, and that, therefore, with but scanty practice, the most highly gifted parrot is in danger of "going back," that is, of forgetting or confusing what it has learnt, or even of becoming stupid, and for this reason declining greatly in value. Teaching gradually step by step will certainly insure the parrot's becoming a good speaker,of course, the talent of different birds varies considerably. One may learn with difficulty and be able only after long practice to pronounce a word, but then may remember it and always retain what it has been taught; a second catches up words quickly, and even learns them at the first repetition, but forgets just as quickly; a third learns rapidly and also remembers; a fourth learns little or nothing; a fifth may have no talent for imitating words, but may, nevertheless, whistle airs excellently; a sixth imitates cock-crowing, the barking of dogs, the creaking of the vane, and all sorts of extraordinary sounds with the most deceptive exactness, but cannot pronounce a single articulate word. It is most important that the teacher should find out betimes the peculiar talent of each bird, and in this train it to the highest possible perfection. As a general rule, it may be said that amongst all the different kinds of birds which learn to speak there is probably not a single one which is not capable of learning something, and, again, a parrot which learns some sentences soon, or even after some days' teaching, usually becomes a good talker.