135 



THE PURPLE-CAPPED LORY. 



Sir, — A liltle time a^o %-ou were kind enough to pnblish ir. 

 Bird Notes my dirge written on the death of m}' Purple-cap 

 Lor}', and perhaps you will now find room for a few lines ou 

 his successor, another Pnrple-cap. He is so very like as to 

 be almost indistinguishable from my poor " Rajah," both in 

 appearance and manner, but I am sorrj- to say not in either 

 talking or musical accomplishments, as he has never made any 

 attempt to speak a word since I got him, now about three or 

 four months ago, and I do not know if there is any prospect of 

 his ever becoming such an orator as the Rajah was, though 

 he took a couple of months before he attempted to speak or 

 copy any kind of tune. The present " Rajah " (I call this 

 bird Rajah also) was, when I got him, about the most spiteful 

 and vicious bird imaginable, and if my hand only approached 

 his cage he flew at it, snapping his beak and when possible 

 biting and giving a severe wound, so much so that I intended 

 to get rid of him for his bad temper. However, after I had him 

 for a little time, he became the most reformed or transformed 

 bird that it was possible to imagine; instead of showing an^^er 

 and sj)ite he was and is now the most amiable and affectionate 

 bird, and it would now be quite impossible to make him bite, 

 even when putting him forcibly into his cage after his bath 

 and a little freedom. This was the only thing that Rajah No. i 

 resented, and when forcibly caught and put back he frequentl}' 

 bit hard, but No. 2 never errs so much as this even. 



He is in beautiful plumage (and health apparentlv), but is 

 very noisy. I should feel extremely obliged to any correspon- 

 dent who would kindly tell me something more of these 

 beautiful and interesting birds. They seem to differ in many 

 respects from the ordinary parrot, more particularly in their 

 movements, which in the parrot kind are generally slow and 

 sedate. As a rule birds of this genus remain very quiet 

 and sedentary, but the Purple-cap is very rarely quiet and is 

 almost as active as a Blackbird, hopping to his perch, not 

 walking or scrambling like ordinary parrots, but bounding 

 with a great spring. His mode of progression is more that of 

 a Magpie, advancing by great hops at a good pace. 



These birds are most affectionate, and are intensely 

 pleased at being pulled about in any way, even at being carried 

 by the legs or head, or put on their backs and tickled, when 

 they chuckle with delight. I have read in some book that 

 they have been known to breed in this country in an aviarv. 

 I thought of trying a pair in this wa}'. 



