"During the government of Prince Maurice, in Brazil, he had heard of
an old parrot that was much celebrated for answering like a rational
creature, many of the common questions that were put to it. It was at a
great distance; but so much had been said about it, that his curiosity
was roused, and he directed it to be sent for. When it was introduced
into the room where the prince was sitting in company with several
Dutchmen, it immediately exclaimed in the Brazilian language, 'What
a company of white men are here.' They asked it 'Who is that man?'
(pointing to the prince) the parrot answered, 'Some general or other.'
When the attendants carried it up to him, he asked it through the medium
of an interpreter, (for he was ignorant of its language) 'From whence do
you come?' the parrot answered, 'From Marignan.' The prince asked,
'To whom do you belong?' it answered, 'To a Portuguese.' He asked again,
'What do you do there?' it answered, 'I look after the chickens.' The
prince, laughingly, exclaimed, 'You look after the chickens?' the parrot
in answer, said, 'Yes, I; and I know well enough how to do it,' clucking
at the time, in imitation of the noise made by the hen to call together
her young.

"This account came directly from the prince to the above author; he
said that though the parrot spoke in a language he did not understand,
yet he could not be deceived, for he had in the room both a Dutchman who
spoke Brazilian, and a Brazilian who spoke Dutch; that he asked them
separately and privately, and both agreed very exactly in giving him the
parrot's discourse. If the story is devoid of foundation, the prince
must have been deceived, for there is not the least doubt that he
believed it."

Parrots not only discourse, but also mimic gestures and actions.