208 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



CHAP. LXXXV.— THE EOSE-BEEASTED ALEXANDEINE 

 PAEEAKEET. 



Psittacus Lathami, Fnsch. 



Cochin China Parraheet (Ger., Roih-und schwarzschndheliger 

 Edelsittich mit rother Brust, Latham's rosenbrustiger Edel- 

 sittich bios Latham's Edelsittich, Kochinchinasittich, Bartsittich, 

 Schnurrbartsittich, Rosenringsittich (!) ; Fr., Perruche a bavette 

 rose, Perruche de Pondicherrij, Perruche a moustaches ; Dut., 

 Latham s Alexander Parhiet, Zwartkeel Edelparhiei) — Distinc- 

 tive Marks — Habitat — Rarehj Imported — Hardiness. 



This species strongly resembles the preceding, and can only be 

 distinguished from it by the following marks : The band on the 

 forehead is broader ; the lores and the large spot on the 

 chin black ; the whole of the upper part of the head and the 

 cheeks light bluish-grey, the latter edged toward the back with 

 a dull rose-colour ; the nape of the neck a brilliant grass-green ; 

 a large olive-greenish yellow spot on the shoulder ; the wing 

 coverts yellowish-green ; all the rest of the upper part of the 

 body olive-yellowish green ; the throat and breast, as far as 

 the beginning of the belly, pale rose-colour ; the rest of the 

 under part of the body bluish yellow-green ; the upper mandible 

 red ; the under mandible black ; the eyes bright yellow ; the 

 feet blackish-grey ; the claws black. It is scarcely perceptibly 

 larger in size than the preceding (length, lo^in. to 14^in. ; 

 wings, 6|-in. to 6|in. ; the longest feathers in the tail, 6;lin. to 

 6jin. ; the outer feathers of the tail, 5|-in. to 5;Jin.). 



It is found throughout the whole of India as far as Penang, 

 and is also said to be met with in Cochin China. In the lower 

 provinces of Bengal, flocks of these birds occasion great damage 

 to the crops, especially in the rice fields. The young birds 

 which are taken from the nest and brought up by hand are, like 

 the Javan Alexandrine Parrakeet, greatly prized in their native 

 country as cage birds. They, however, come but seldom to us. 

 Several attempts made at breeding have proved unsuccessful. 

 This species is found very hardy in zoological gardens, and it 

 may be inferred that others would be equally so. 



