3o6 



PSEPHOTUS.— We come now to a group of Australian 

 Parrakeets which are. in my opinion, the most beautiful 

 and most desirable of all, namely, the Psephotus Parra- 

 keets. Of this genus there are but five species kuown to 

 exist, and four of these are occasional I}'' kept in this 

 country. The remaiuitig species {P. chrysopterys^ius) is 

 very rare, and but little seems to be known of it even in 

 its native land. 



The four species which are known in England as cage- 

 birds are the Many-coloured Parrakeet [P. multicolor), the 

 Paradisa or beautiful {P. pulcherrinms), the Blue-bonnet 

 (P. hcFinaiorhow^ and the Red-rump {P. hcBmntnnotus). 

 Both the INIany-coloured and the Beautiful Parrakeets 

 have the reputation of being extremely delicate : 

 several well known authors even go so far as to say that 

 it is almost impossible to keep them in confinement for 

 more than a few months. The Beautiful Parrakeet I 

 have never kept, and, as far as I am aware, no specimens 

 have been imported for some years, but the Many- 

 coloured is by no means so difficult to preserve as was 

 at one time supposed. I know of several instances in 

 which these Parrakeets have been kept for years. I 

 kept one for a long time in a cage, and it was always in 

 perfect health and beauty, and never ailed an hour 

 while I had it. The Man\'-coloured is said to be partly 

 insectivorous when wild, but mine would never touch 

 animal food. On the other hand, it was extremely fond of 

 fruit, especially apple, of which it had a liberal allowance 

 dailv; this, with canary seed, sprajMuillet, and a little 

 hemp, seemed to be all that was required to keep it in 

 health. This Parrakeet is a lively and attractive bird 

 whether in a cage or aviary, but it is rare, and speci- 

 mens can but seldom be obtained. It is i2ins. in length : 

 the general colour of the male is a bright grass green, the 

 forehead and a band on each wing yellow, the occiput and 

 a patch on the upper tail coverts reddish chestnut, the 

 abdomen and thighs scarlet, the bend of the wing and 

 nnderwing coverts brilliant blue. The female is far less 

 brilliantlv attired than her mate, being of a yellowish- 



