Notes on Rcd-shiniug Parrakccfs. i8i 



" The nest is well built, deep and well concealed, sometimes resting 

 on the ground, but frequently raised above it. It contains five long, 

 pointed eggs, with ;i white or bluish-white ground colour, and thickly 

 spotted with brown. I have frequently found the eggs of the ' Molothrus ' 

 in its nest, but have never been able to see this bird feeuing or followed 

 by a young " Molothrus.' PossiI)ly if it ever hatches this parasitical 

 egg at all, the young Cowbird 's st:ir\ed by the delicate food supplied by 

 its foster-parents." 



Some Notes on Red-shining Parraheets. 



By the M.arquis of Tavistock. 



Tlie Fijian Parrakeets of the small g'eniis Pyrrhulopsis 

 are very rare, nowadays, in the foreign bird trade; indeed I 

 have never seen a newly-imported specimen offered by an 

 English dealer, other than the late Mr. Cotton, of Sheffield. 

 Conseqitently, nearh^ all 1 have had have come to me through 

 private channels. 



The three best-known Pyrrhulopsis are the Red-shining, the 

 Tabuan and the Masked. T believe there is a fourth species, 

 or local race, but I have never seen even a stuffed specimen, 

 and cannot describe it. My experience of iabuan Parrakeets 

 is limited to a moribund female I received from the Zoo, in the 

 last stages of chronic enteritis. I hoped that a diet of fruit 

 might save her; however, it did not, although the poor thing 

 tried her best, eating and hanging on to life with a tenacity I 

 have never seen equalled. Tabuan Parrakeets seem to be 

 smaller than Red-shining; they have the head, neck and breast 

 maroon, the back and wings shining green, nuchal patch blue, 

 and flight and tail feathers of much the s?ime colour; the beak 

 is black and rather large. Of Masked Parrakeets I have only 

 seen one, and I believe they are very rare, even in their own 

 country, having been practically exterminated by soine brainless 

 idiot W'ho introduced the mongoose into the island they inhabit. 

 My bird, " Georgie," is a quaint old fellow, and has already 

 formed the subject of an article. He spends his summers at 

 liberty in the garden, and his winters in a big cage in a warm 

 room. He appears to be extremely ancient, and is neither very 

 sound in wind nor strong of wing, but he still manages to enjoy 

 life and is a great character. He takes no interest in anv of 



