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Of all Parrots the Gray species from Africa is the most apt at acquiring words or tunes, and its voice is the most musical and sonorous; the Amazonian or Green Parrot, however, is little inferior in imitative powers, but its voice is harsh and unpleasing. A volume might be filled with anecdotes of these birds, and many marvellous accounts have been given to show that they are gifted not only with the power of utterance, but of understanding also. Not a quarter, however, of the current stories are even founded upon truth, and the rest are to be taken with due allowance for a little colouring to heighten the effect. Whatever the Parrot may utter, and however distinctly, the reader may rest assured that the bird attaches no ideas to the words, and strictly connects them with nothing, but merely repeats them as sounds, which having heard again and again for weeks together, it has learned at length to imitate. Hence, when excited either by anger, fear, or pleasure, when desirous of obtaining a favourite kind of food, or when testifying its fondness for its benefactor, it utters its acquired sentences, either in place of its natural voice, or alternating with it. It may be, also, that in consequence of being for a length of time duly rewarded after such essays, it may repeat words or sentences as a kind of call or cry for favourite food; experience having brought it to a perception that certain sounds will be followed by the customary treat. Under such circumstances, it matters not what you teach the Parrot to say; it may be," Bread and butter," or "Sugar," it may be any unmeaning phrase, or the notes of a tune, or the noise of an animal; for it will accordingly utter any intonation it has learned, upon the excitement of the moment, produced by the sight of food to which it is partial, and which is almost within its reach.

In their natural state these birds are united in companies, which keep up an incessant clamour as they proceed in quest of food: the kernels of fruits and nuts, &c. form their chief subsistence. Their flight is by no means remarkable for vigour; indeed it is incapable of being long sustained, a short flit from tree to tree being the utmost to which it is usually exerted. They incubate in

the hollows of decayed trees; the eggs are two in number, and of a pure white.

The Parrakeets are distinguished by the general elegance of their form, which is much more slender than in the Parrots; the head also is smaller, and the beak shorter and more feeble; the tail is always graduated, generally elongated, and often pointed, the middle feathers far exceeding the rest, and narrowing as they proceed. They constitute a widely diffused group, all beautifully, many richly coloured with green, and blue, and violet, and yellow, and red. Exhibiting many modifications of form, they are subdivided into numerous genera; of these, as the most important, we may notice the following:

First, the Even-tailed Parrakeets, (Psittacula,) distinguished by their diminutive size, and by the shortness of the tail, which is merely rounded; they are the smallest of the whole race, and evidently unite the True Parrots to the Parrakeets, between which groups they appear to occupy an intermediate situation. They are natives of the torrid zone.

The beautiful little LOVEBIRD (Psittacula pullaria) is an example of this genus. This species is a native of Guinea, and scarcely exceeds a sparrow in size. It is much valued as a cage bird, its captivity being usually relieved by the presence of its mate, (for it is customary to sell them in pairs,) to which it manifests the warmest attachment; it is very interesting to see them dress each other's plumage, caress and fondle each other, and by various actions indicate their mutual attachment. They sleep suspended with the head downwards, clinging by one foot alone. The colour is green, the outer webs of the quill-feathers being blue, and the tail being banded with a bar of lilac.

Next may be noticed the True Parrakeets, (Palaornis,) natives of India and Africa, and distinguished by the length of the tail, which is not only graduated, but has the two middle feathers elongated and slender. The wings are moderate, the three outer quills being the

longest; the tarsi are short and weak; contour of body graceful. In their powers of flight they far exceed the heavily formed Parrots.

Of this group we may introduce the MALACCA PARRAKEET, (Palæornis Malaccensis, VIG.) a bird of great

THE MALACCA PARRAKEET.

The

elegance, and by no means common in museums. general colour is fine bright green; the sides of the head and back of the neck being vinous lilac, a black moustache

extending down each side of the neck from the base of the lower mandible; the beak is red. It inhabits various parts of India, especially the Malacca country, and is found in Sumatra and the adjacent islands.

The ROSE-RINGED PARRAKEET (Palæornis torquatus) is another example. Of this bird we have already spoken; besides being found in India, it is met with also in Africa, and indeed is said to be abundant on the coast of Senegal. The general colour is green, with a rosecoloured collar round the neck, the bill being deep ruby.

New Holland presents a group termed, from their habits, Ground Parrakeets. Instead of confining themselves to the trees, and making the branches their home, the birds of this group search for their food and pass a great portion (perhaps the greatest) of their time on the ground; where, instead of displaying that awkwardness which we are accustomed to see in the parents, these birds trip along as nimbly as a lark or wagtail. Their food appears to consist of soft berries, the produce of low shrubs, as well as of buds. In conformity with their terrestrial habits, so opposite to those of the family in general, we may expect an appropriate modification of the limbs. Accordingly, we find the tarsi more slender and lengthened; and the toes, though still two before and two behind, less finger-like, less curved, and more capable of being applied flat to the ground. The beak is moderate; the wings are rounded; the tail is long, graduated, and in some broad and flat also. These latter constitute the genus Platycercus, (Vig.) or the Broadtailed Ground Parrakeets; they are all distinguished for elegance and richness of colouring, and for liveliness of manners; though less apt at imitation than many others, they are highly valued as cage favourites, from their gentleness, intelligence, and beauty.

We may notice the NONPAREIL or ROSE-HILL PARRAKEET (Platycercus eximius) as an example. This bird is one of the most engaging of its race. In captivity it soon becomes very docile, and greets its protector with

every indication of attachment. It is very fond of the bath, and it may often be seen to saturate its plumage with water, enjoying a luxury which, from a mistaken idea of its being injurious, persons are apt to deny to their captives of the parrot tribe.

Among the most interesting examples we may mention the Platycercus pacificus, P. Stanleyi, P. Pennantii, P. scapalatus, &c. Of these, living specimens are to be seen in the Gardens of the Zoological Society.

Another genus of ground Parrakeets is that termed Pezoporus; we find the tail in this long, but not broad and flattened. Only one species is at present known, the Pezoporus formosus, (Ill.)

The structure of the Parrot's tongue has been mentioned as being thick and fleshy, a circumstance giving it a resemblance to that of man; but this rule is not without an exception. New Holland and the Indian islands present a group of parrots whose tongues are tipped with bristle-like filaments, in the form of a brush. They procure their food from the nectaries of flowers, which in those regions bloom in perpetual succession; fruits, berries, and buds, however, are also added to the honey of the nectary. The Filamentous-tongued Parakeets are represented by the genus Trichoglossus, (Vigors,) a genus characterized by the beak being slender, and rather elongated, the under mandible being laterally compressed, the wings of moderate length, but pointed, and formed for flight; the tail rather short, but graduated; the tarsi short; the tongue bristly at the tip.

The birds of this genus are quick and rapid in their flight; and those who have seen them in their native regions state, they are exceeded by no other bird. Hence they are much on the wing, darting from flower to flower, or tree to tree, with the velocity of an arrow. The most familiar example is the Trichoglossus hæmatodus.

The Lories (Lorius, Vigors) of India and the islands

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