Once Over Lightly

ANIMALIA ESOTERICA (meaning odd animals doing strange things) : This month's mail was full of True Tales of Nature's Wonderland. Included was the story of the lady who started letting her parrakeet nibble on martini olives and ended up, with him, sipping morning screwdrivers. Said she, "I've tried to get Sparky off the stuff. He's becoming impossible to live with. I'm a little worried because lately he is not nearly as good a conversationalist as lie used to be. He mumbles a lot and seems to forget what he's talking about."