3« 



Iparrote an^ parrahccts. 



By Dr. C. vS. Simpson. 

 (Continued jrom Vol. i, page 30^ J. 



'9^ ' HE Grass Parrakeets (^Neophema) are another 

 f(7\ Australian group which in beauty of plumage 

 V^ rival the Psephotus Parrakeets, and are vers' 

 much more easily kept in confinement. The 

 best known species are the Turquoisine {N. piilchella) 

 and the E^legant (A^. elegans), but the former has been 

 very scarce of late years, and the latter quite unobtain- 

 able. The Turquoisine is an exceedingly beautiful bird ; 

 the upper parts of the bod}^ are of a deep green, the 

 breast and abdomen rich 3'ellow, the forehead, cheeks, 

 and chin brilliant verditer blue, the outer upper wing 

 coverts and the under surface of the wing are also 

 blue, and there is a chestnut spot on each wing. The 

 female is less brightly coloured than the male. The 

 Turquoisine will stand the coldest weather out of 

 doors, and a pair in a roomy aviary provided with 

 hollow logs will readily breed. They feed on Canar}' 

 seed and spra}^ millet. I have found this species ta 

 be rather dull and quiet in a cage. The Elegant 

 Parrakeet re.sembles the Turquoisine closel}^ but the 

 blue on the head is confined to a band on the forehead. 

 The two species readily inter-breed, but I am not able 

 to say whether the young of such unions are fertile. 



The splendid Parrakeet (A", splcndidd) resembles 

 the Turquoisine, but is distinguished by the rich 

 scarlet of the breast. The Orange-bellied Parrakeet 

 (A', chrysogastra) more closely resembles the Elegant, 

 but has a patch of bright j-ellow on the abdomen. 

 Bourke's Parrakeet (A^. boiiykei) is another species 

 which used to be imported, but seems to be un- 

 procurable now. The upper parts of this bird are 

 reddish-brown, the under Darts rose colour, the fore- 



