ricks.
Some of the parrot kind are called paroquets, and some are called
cockatoos.

10. This curious story is told of a parrot: One day, Sarah, a little
girl of eight years, had been reading about secret writing with
lemon-juice.

11. Not having any lemon, she thought she would try vinegar. So, after
dinner, she took a cruet, and was just pouring the vinegar into a
spoon, when her parrot sang out, "I'll tell mother! Turn it out! Turn
it out!"

12. The child, thinking the parrot would really tell her mother, threw
down the cruet and the spoon, and ran away to the nursery as fast as
her legs could carry her.

LESSON XX.

_STORIES ABOUT PARROTS._

[Illustration: Paroquets.]

1. A green parrot, kept in a family for a long time, became so tame
that she had the free run of the house. When hungry, Polly would call
out, "Look! cook! I want potato!"

2. She was very fond of potatoes, and if anything else was put in her
pan she would throw it out, and scream at the top of her voice, "Won't
have it! Turn it out!"

3. The children in the house were all girls, and Polly for some reason
had taken a great dislike to boys. One day some boys came on a visit,
and, as boys do, made a great noise. This was too much for Polly, who
screamed out, "Sarah! Sarah! here's a hullaballoo!"

[Illustration]

4. Polly was very fond of the mistress of the house, and was always on
the lookout for her at the breakfast-table.

5. If she did not come down before the meal was begun, Polly would
say, in the most piteous tone, "Where's dear mother? Is not dear
mother well?"

6. Another parrot had learned to sing "Buy a Broom" just like a child.
If she made a mistake, she would cry out, "O la!" burst out laughing,
and begin again on another key.

7. This parrot laughed in such a hearty way that for your life you
could not help joining with her, and then she would cry out, "Don't
make me laugh! I shall die! I shall die!"

8. Next she will cry; and if you say, "Poor Poll, what is the
matter?" she says, "So bad! so bad! Got a bad cold!" After crying some
time, she grows more quiet, makes a noise like drawing a long breath,
and says, "Better now," and then begins to laugh.

9. If any one vexes her, she begins to cry; if pleased, she laughs. If
she hears any one cough or sneeze, she says, "What a bad cold!"

10. Here is a story which a boy tells of a parrot: "Poll was a great
friend of mine, and had been in the house ever since I c