THE THICK-BILLED PARRAKEETS. 227 



one mass, which may often weigh several hundredweights, and 

 on many a sturdy old forest tree one may see seven or eight 

 such settlements, in which the birds are constantly at work, 

 mending the nests, (fee. ; and new ones are always added in spring 

 for the fresh breeding season. Breeding begins in November, 

 and the brood consists of seven or eight, but more generally 

 of six. The nests are occupied by the birds, even after the 

 breeding season, all through the year. Thorny twigs are used 

 exclusively for building purposes, and Azara tells us that the 

 part of the nest used for hatching is lined with grasses. The 

 old clusters of nests often afford a refuge to strange guests, such 

 as a species of duck, which finds them a convenient residence, 

 and often even opossums turn them to account. Throughout 

 the whole day piercing screams resound about the nests, and on 

 this account, no less than the destruction to the crops of maize, 

 fruit, <fec., the parrakeets are greatly disliked, the more so as, 

 like all species of parrots, they destroy much more than they 

 consume. They are, therefore, unrelentingly pursued, and as, 

 in spite of this, they are by no means shy, are shot in great 

 /numbers or caught in nets. They are considered most delicious 

 game, so that regular parrot-shooting parties are frequently 

 arranged. In many parts rewards are offered for their de- 

 struction, and occasionally, in La Plata, they are shot down in 

 thousands. Such is their perseverance, however, that they are 

 not easily beaten back, and they return again and again to the 

 maize fields. But in certain localities, where they have noticeably 

 diminished, they are cautious and shy, and there the Quaker 

 Parrakeet, to the annoyance of the sportsman, acts as a sentinel 

 to all other animals. They may be often seen, after the close 

 of the breeding season, flying about in large flocks in search of 

 food. 



The old authors — Buffon, Bechstein, and others — speak of the 

 Quaker Parrakeet as a cage bird. Bechstein says it appears of a 

 melancholy temperament, becomes very tame, and learns to 

 speak, although but little ; he adds, its cry of allurement is a 

 high, sharp-sounding screech. Azara informs us that it is 

 highly esteemed in its native country as a cage bird, and is 

 regarded with preference as a talker. The account given by 

 Gibson is very interesting. He says that one may often hear a 

 Quaker, among the numerous swarms, repeating words which 

 it has learnt in captivity and remembered after its escape : 

 " Often, in passing through the forests, I heard, to my astonish- 



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