The Blue Mountain Lory 



By Gerard Alan Abbott 



This bird inhabits the vast plains of the interior of New South Wales. It 

 is one of the handsomest, not only of the Australian parrots, but takes foremost 

 place among the most gorgeously dressed members of the parrot family that are 

 to be met with in any part of the world. It is about eleven or twelve inches in 

 length. The female cannot with certainty be distinguished from her mate, but 

 is usually a very little smaller. The lory seldom descends to the ground, but 

 passes the greater part of its life among the gum trees, upon 'the pollen 

 and nectar'of which it mainly subsists. In times of scarcity, however, it will also 

 eat grass seeds, as well as insects, for want of which, it is said, it often dies pre- 

 maturely when in captivity. 



Despite his beauty, the Blue Mountain Lory is not a desirable bird to keep, 

 as he requires great care. A female which survived six years in an aviary, laying 

 several eggs, though kept singly, was fed on canary seed, maize, a little sugar, 

 raw beef, and carrots. 



Like all the parrot family, these lories breed in hollow boughs, where the 

 female deposits from three to four white eggs, upon which she sits for twenty- 

 one days. The young from the first resemble their parents closely, but are a 

 trifle less brilliantly colored. 



They are very active and graceful, but have an abominable shriek. The 

 noise is said to be nearly as disagreeable as the plumage is beautiful. They are 

 very quarrelsome and have to be kept apart from the other parrots, which they 

 will kill. The feathers of the head and neck. are long and very narrow and lie 

 closely together, the claws are strong and hooked, indicating their tree-climbing 

 habits. 



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