Show PARROTS GUIDED COLUMBUS talkative birds entitled to consideration in selection cf our national emblem defon before the eagle was selected lis as our national emblem benjamin franklin urged the claims ot of the turkey it was purely american he said while the eagle was not it was a proud and generous bird and it was good eating if franklin had bad known more about our early history he might have spoken for the parrot when columbus sailed westward over the unknown atlantic be expected to reach Zip japan alter after several days sall sail from gomera one of ahn canary islands he became uneasy at not discovering which according to his reckoning should have been two hundred and sixteen nautical miles more to the east after a long discussion he yielded to the opinion of alonzo tile the commander of the pinta and steered to the south west wesl was influenced in his opinion solely by a fight of parrots which took wing in that direction it was good luck to follow in the wake of a flock of birds when cli engaged upon a voyage cf discovery a widespread superstition aprong spanish seamen of that day and the great nav navigator gator was thus guided to the new werd |