CAEOLIISrA PARAKEET 7 



passing that of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker." One of Mr. Ridg- 

 way's eggs, in the John E. Thayer collection, I should describe as 

 ovate in shape and dull white in color, with a very slight gloss. The 

 measurements of 24 eggs average 34.23 by 27.80 millimeters ; the eggs 

 showing the four extremes measure 37 by 38, 33 by 30.2, 32.1 by 

 27.1, and 34.4 by 25.8 millimeters. 



Young. — We do not know much about the development and care of 

 the young in the wild state, but in captivity the birds seem to be 

 very careless or indifferent in the care and feeding of the young. 

 Dr. Nowotny's eggs were hatched, after continuous incubation, in 

 about 19 or 20 days, but the young all eventually died from neglect. 



Mr. Ridgway wrote to Mr. Childs (1905), under date of November 

 13, 1902 : "My female Parakeet laid only six eggs the past summer and 

 I shall never get any more, as the bird is now dead. The first she 

 laid is the one I sent you. The remaining five hatched, but I have 

 only two young ones left, a rat having carried off one, another was 

 starved by the parents when half grown, and the third I gave to a 

 friend who had time and disposition to take care of it in order to 

 save it from starving." 



Plumages. — I have never seen the downy young or nestling plum- 

 ages and doubt if there are any such in collections. Audubon (1840) 

 says that "the young are at first covered with soft down, such as is 

 seen on young Owls. During the first season, the whole plumage is 

 green; but towards autumn a frontlet of carmine appears. Two 

 years, however, are passed before the male or female are in full 

 plumage." His plate shows a bird with a wholly green head. 



Dr. Nowotny's (1898) young birds, when between five and six 

 weeks old, "had already attained green wings and tail ; the older one 

 also had red feathers above the bill and on the under parts. * * * 

 The oldest young one had already attained many dense strong red 

 feathers above the bill at the age of eight weeks". This does not 

 agree with Audubon's account, or with C. J. Maynard's (1896) who 

 says, of the young of the year : "Head and neck, wholly green, and 

 the tail is short." He says, of the nestling: "One of my collectors, 

 who found the young in the nest, informs me that they are covered 

 with a grayish down." I have never seen a young bird with a wholly 

 green head ; those that I have seen, some nine in number, were in first 

 winter plumage, and were collected between October 7 and April 3, 

 indicating that this plumage is worn all through the first winter. 

 These are much like adults, but with no yellow on the head, thighs, 

 or anal region, and only greenish yellow on the edge of the wing; 

 the forehead and front of the crown up to the front edges of the 

 eyes are "flame scarlet" or "cadmium orange," shading off to dull 

 brownish orange on the lores and to dull brown on the cheeks. Speci- 

 mens taken in February show yellow feathers coming in on the head, 



