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the dense forests, utilising hollow trees for nesting 

 purposes, and laying, it is said, five white eggs at a 

 sitting. Their food consists of palm nuts, bananas, and 

 other frnits, and they also do great damage to the fields 

 of maize. The young birds, as soon as they are fledged, 

 are caught by natives, bronght down to the coast in 

 wicker baskets, and sold to dealers, who ship them to 

 England. It is well known that the unsanitary con- 

 ditions under which these unfortunate birds travel, the 

 overcrowding, improper feeding, want of cleanliness, 

 and sudden changes of temperature, induce in an 

 enormous proportion of cases that disease which 

 has been named "ship-fever." Of this disease I will 

 only say that it attacks, with very few exceptions, 

 every bird which is imported under these conditions, 

 and that it is absolutely incurable by any treatment 

 at present known to us. 



The Grey Parrot, however, when once acclimatised, 

 is a perfectly hardy bird, and with the most ordinary 

 care will live to a great age in confinement. It is by no 

 means susceptible to cold, and requires but a simple 

 diet. A mixture of maize, hemp, canary, sunflower- 

 seed and oats, a few nuts and a biscuit occasionally, and 

 a daily allowance of apple or other fruit will suffice to 

 keep it in health. The same food is suitable for all the 

 larger seed-eating Parrots, and most of them are very 

 fond of fruit, especially apple or pear. Most Parrots are 

 fond of having a piece of wood to bite up. Some, like 

 my own Grey Parrot, reject such toys and prefer to gnaw 

 their perch ; if so, a hard one must be provided which 

 will take some time to destroy, but on no account should 

 a perch covered with metal be used. The practice of 

 covering over at night is not necessary except in very 

 cold weather, but servants must not be allowed to throw- 

 doors and windows open and place the bird in a draught 

 in the early morning. 



The Grey Parrot is, I believe, the most certain of 

 talkers. Individuals of other species may be equally 

 brilliant performers, but almost every Grey, if taken in 

 hand when voung, and if sufficient trouble be taken 



