279 



Ilbe (5olt)ens*crownc^ (lonurc 



{^Co7iur7is aiiretcs). 

 By W. Geo. Crkswell, M.D., F.Z.S. 



£ARROTS of any kind have always wielded a 

 considerable amount of fascination over lue. 

 Each individual is a kind of lucky-bao^; to be 

 tautological — each individual has such an 

 amount of individuality, that to see a Parrot, especially 

 if it be to me a hitherto unkept species, is in my case 

 to want it. Consequently at different times, of later 

 years especialh% I have bought, sold, and exchanged 

 more than one of my hook-nosed friends. When 

 therefore one murky afternoon in the first week of 

 last October I espied, among a heterogeneous collection 

 of dogs and fowls and other living beasts on the pave- 

 ment outside a bird shop, two cages, each containing 

 a pair of Parrakeets of sorts, I immediatel}^ alighted 

 from my carriage — the humble 'bus — in order to pay 

 my respects. Calling the proprietor outside, and 

 pointing with my stick to one of these cages, " What 

 are these ?" said I. "Quaker Parrakeets" quoth he. 

 " No, no, I mean these,'' (the others were Quakers), I 

 returned, " what are they ? " " Quaker Parrakeets," 

 the man persisted. Thereupon with honied phrases, 

 begotten of a natural amiability, I explained to the 

 gentleman that the Quakers were old friends of mine, 

 but that I would like to know what these were. " Oh ! 

 these?-er-er- these did you say Sir? Oh, they're — er 

 — Miniature Parrots!" 



"Ah ! now that's better," said I, " and what country 

 did they come from " ? "West Africa" was the now 

 ready reply. " How long have you had them " ? 

 "Over six months, and they're as tame as tame" did 

 this ornithological authority inform me. By this time 

 I was becoming really charmed and delighted. Here 

 was a man, a dealer with great experience of men and 



