Alexander Schmidt, Shakespeare Lexicon and Quotation Dictionary

Parrot, the bird Psittacus: Merch. I, 1, 53. III, 5, 51. As IV, 1, 152 “(more clamorous than a p. against rain).” H4A II, 4, 111. H4B II, 4, 282. Troil. V, 2, 193. Oth. II, 3, 281. “Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; or rather the prophecy like the p., 'beware the rope's end',” Err. IV, 4, 45 (a quibble between finem and funem, end and rope. Warburton: the passage alludes to people's teaching parrots unlucky words, with which when any passenger was offended, it was the standing joke of the owner to say: 'take heed, sir, my parrot prophesies'. cf. the following verses from Butler's Hudibras: could tell what subtlest parrots mean, what member 'tis of whom they talk, when they cry rope, and walk, knave, walk.).