FOOD. 31 



tMs I shall speak further in the section "Diseases." In other 

 cases various evils occur, only too often an illness in the 

 whole body, so that the poor creature must die miserably of 

 internal and external ulcers. It is not yet fully determined 

 whether parrots which are kept separately in a cage really need 

 animal food, such as mealworms or ant grubs. The African 

 traveller, Soyaux, says that the Grey Parrots are known in 

 West Africa as destroyers of the nests of other birds, and there 

 are many examples of the different kinds of parrots in freedom 

 being carnivorous ; but who can positively decide whether this 

 is a natural or an abnormal occurrence ? 



The above directions as to food hold good in general for 

 the following genera : Grey Parrots, Black Parrots, Amazons, 

 Noble Parrots or Eclecti (but for the last-named more fruit is 

 advisable), all Cockatoos, and the Macaws. 



All medium-sized parrots are fed with oats, hemp, canary 

 seed, and millet ; the smaller kinds solely with the three last- 

 named seeds. No hemp should be given the latter, because 

 it is said to be injurious to them ; whereas for the former, 

 as well as for the larger species, it is considered one of the 

 best articles of diet, especially if they are very weak. As an 

 addition, there are various other seeds — many kinds of millet 

 (white, Senegal, and the different kinds which grow in the 

 ear) — which may be given, as well as dry or fresh ears of 

 corn, besides sunflower, dyer's saffron, and other seeds. With 

 the exception of the oats and other grain, the latter, as well 

 as all kinds of grass seeds, should rather be given in ears and 

 panicles ; also heads of maize, half ripe. Oily seeds should 

 never be given before they are fully ripe, for they may thus 

 be very injurious, hemp especially. Some species, such as 

 the large Alexandrine Parrakeet, eat dry maize, like the great 

 parrots. To most of these it is absolutely necessary to give 

 some sweet fruit daily, not merely occasionally, as with the 

 former. On the whole, the instructions given on p. 29 also hold 

 good here ; but there is less need to be anxious about giving 

 southern fruits if only the precaution be taken to taste each 

 separately. Green food is also a necessity for these species, and 

 I recommend, besides the common chickweed, mignonette and 

 tradescantia (spiderwort) ; cabbage and salad should never be 

 given to these parrots. All green food must, of course, be in 

 the best condition — clean, dry, not wet with dew or rain, on no 

 account mildewed, or beginning to decay — and care should 



