The Sulu Island King Parrakeet. 149 



that of a male Cxanopygius, but her tail is a decided dark blue, 

 instead of black, and her rump a very brilliant blue. The beak 

 is red with a dark edging to the mandibles, and the eye is large 

 and yellowish-red in colour, giving the bird a curiously wild 

 expression, which rather belies her nature, which is gentle and 

 rather timid. The head is squarer in shape than that of a 

 common king. 



My Sulu Island is an active bird and her flight is graceful 

 and rapid. She has two calls, both of which bear a resemblance 

 to the two best-known calls of the common king, but her whistle 

 is weaker, higher pitched and uttered much more rapidly, while 

 her other call, which is impossible to describe in print, is hoarser, 

 harsher and less loud than the corresponding one of 

 A . cya)iopygius. 



She seems a perfectly hardy bird and has never been ill, 

 living winter and summer in an outdoor aviary, and being fed on 

 the usual seed mixture, together with fruit and green food. In 

 1921 she paired with a Red Shining Parrakeet, and laid two 

 eggs which she incubated without result; probably the difference 

 in size between the two birds was too great to allow a fertile 

 union. This year I tried to pair her up with a Princess of 

 Wales' Parrakeet, but he disliked her and wotild not take to her. 

 The Sulu Island herself seemed a good deal attracted by a cock 

 Crimson-wing at liberty, but I did not dare to risk her in the 

 company of such a rough and bullying mate. Finally I put her 

 with another Red Shining, but although the two were quite 

 good friends, I never saw them take any notice of each other. 

 Eventually, in April, the Sulu Island took to a nest-box, and 

 some days later I found three beautiful white eggs, which I 

 looked at with considerable regret, thinking of a possible medal 

 if only she had had a mate. As I expected, she sat her full 

 time without result. I have now put her wnth a young cock 

 Australian King, and am hoping next year for hybrids which 

 should be more beautiful than their male parent when adult. 

 Unlike many females of the Australian species, the Sulu Island 

 has taken readily to a nest-box of the ordinary type and has not 

 insisted on a " grandfather clock " establishment. 



