development of its intelligence. Brehm has so admirably summed up
the manners of life of the parrot, that I cannot do better than
translate the following sentence:--

"Except in the pairing season, they live in very numerous
societies or bands. They choose a place in the forest to stay
there, and thence they start every morning for their hunting
expeditions. The members of each band remain faithfully attached
to each other, and they share in common good or bad luck. All
together they repair in the morning to a field, or to a garden,
or to a tree, to feed upon fruits. They post sentries to keep
watch over the safety of the whole band, and are attentive to
their warnings. In case of danger, all take to flight, mutually
supporting each other, and all simultaneously return to their
resting-place. In a word, they always live closely united."

They enjoy society of other birds as well. In India, the jays and
crows come together from many miles round, to spend the night in
company with the parrots in the bamboo thickets. When the parrots
start hunting, they display the most wonderful intelligence,
prudence, and capacity of coping with circumstances. Take, for
instance, a band of white cacadoos in Australia. Before starting to
plunder a corn-field, they first send out a reconnoitring party
which occupies the highest trees in the vicinity of the field, while
other scouts perch upon the intermediate trees between the field and
the forest and transmit the signals. If the report runs "All right,"
a score of cacadoos will separate from the bulk of the band, take a
flight in the air, and then fly towards the trees nearest to the
field. They also will scrutinize the neighbourhood for a long while,
and only then will they give the signal for general advance, after