Xref: utzoo sci.psychology:251 sci.bio:1139
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!munnari!moncskermit!moncsbruce!cjs
From: cjs@moncsbruce.oz (Chris Stuart)
Newsgroups: sci.psychology,sci.bio
Subject: Re: Intelligent Parrots, or Self-deception and Gullibility.
Message-ID: <422@moncsbruce.oz>
Date: 26 Apr 88 02:54:57 GMT
References: <1988Mar4.162334.18184@utzoo.uucp> <4299@blia.BLI.COM> <2231@ttidca.TTI.COM>
Organization: Comp Sci, Monash Uni, Australia
Lines: 32
Summary: Book reference, rational, fascinating.

People interested in the topic of "animal language", and in particular
with the mimic behaviour of parrots and other animals, and to what
extent it reflects true understanding, would be well advised to find and
read the following book:

	King Solomon's Ring
	by Konrad Z. Lorenz

	Translated from the German by Marjorie Kerr Wilson

	First published 1952

The copy i am reading is a 1968 issue, published as a "University Paperback"
by John Dickens & Co, Ltd, Northampton, Great Britain.

(SBN 416 67880 7)

I don't know how hard it will be to find, but it is truely a gem. The author
is a somewhat eccentric but very serious researcher into animal behaviour.
The book is non-technical, and the various points made are illustrated by
anecdotes about animals with which the author had direct contact in the
course of his researches.

Chapter 8 (The language of animals) is especially relevant to this
discussion. If there is sufficient interest expressed, i may post
some extracts. He relates some remarkable incidents concerning
communication between animals, or between animals and humans. However,
his lucid discussion of such communication makes it clear that we are
NOT talking about "language" or "understanding" as is understood in
a human context.

Christopher Stuart         (cjs@moncsbruce.oz)