GREEN PARROTS 191 



as the crows work out, but in so far as intent and dis- 

 interested love of evil goes, there is not a pin to choose 

 between them. They take the same heart-whole delight 

 in destruction for destruction's sake, and find the same 

 bliss in tormenting and annoying other living things." 

 While fully endorsing the above, I feel constrained to 

 remark that the parrot is no fool ; he may not be quite 

 as 'cute as an Indian crow, but he is gifted with sufficient 

 brain-power for all practical purposes. If the green 

 parrot is less harmfully mischievous than the crow he is 

 far more offensively noisy. He is able to produce an 

 almost endless variety of sounds, but unfortunately there 

 is not a single one among them all which by any 

 stretch of the imagination can be called musical. 



All species of green parrots have similar habits. All 

 are gregarious and feed almost exclusively on fruit and 

 seeds. They do much damage to the crops, destroying 

 more than they eat, since they have a way of breaking 

 off a head of corn, eating a few grains, and then attacking 

 another head. Where green parrots are plentiful the 

 long-suffering ryot sets them down among the ills to 

 which the flesh is heir. When the crops are cut the 

 parrots feed among the stubble, picking up the fallen 

 grain. 



The exceedingly swift, arrow-like flight of the green 

 parrot is too familiar to need description. The flocks 

 usually fly high up, screaming loudly ; at times, however, 

 they skim along the ground ; occasionally they thread 

 their way among trees, avoiding the branches in the 

 most wonderful manner, considering the pace at which 

 they move. 



