8 Pscpliotiis Parrakccts at Libert v. 



his Ijirds by following- in my footsteps. 'I'his is unfortunate 

 for if you except Blue-bonnets which have practically 

 none of the manners of tyi)ical Pseplioti (nor indeed any 

 manners at all to boast of), there are no other Australian Par- 

 rakccts so attractive, so iiarmliess, or so easy to start, and what is 

 far more important, to keep, as the beautiful swift-flying 

 members of this section of the Platyccrciuae . First get your 

 birds into show-condition and properly paired up — not a diffi- 

 cult matter with ordinary care and attention — then release the 

 cock on a fine still day and lie sure that his mate remains 

 in full view, in a place where he will not be afraid to \isit 

 her. Finally, a few days later let the hen gO; cjuietly out to 

 join him. After that, provided you allow them a constant 

 supply of seed, the pair will give no further trouble as long- 

 as they arc both alive, and whether they are feeding on the 

 lawn, or sunning themselves in a tree-top, or darting through 

 the air with musical whistles, they will be a constant source 

 of beauty and interest, strangely in harmony with their alien 

 surroundings. 



In giving an account of my experiences with Pseplwtus 

 Parrakeets, I will begin with Red-rumps, as they are the 

 the best known and the easiest to obtain. 



Red-rumped Parrakeet: {P. hacinatouotus): Beiifg 

 at that time quite inexperienced in the ways of Parrots, 1 

 treated the first four Red-rumps 1 e\ er got for turning out 

 exactly as I should have treated so many Finches, viz.; kept 

 them in an aviary with a dummy trap-tray for a few days 

 and then released the lot full-winged. Three departed at once 

 and were seen no more. The fourth, a cock, was less ven- 

 turesome than his companions, and stayed, and in due course 

 I procured him a mate. The pair lived happily in the garden 

 for several months and in April nested in a small knot hole 

 in the trunk of an oak tree — small, but alas ! not too small to 

 allow a squirrel to enter and slay the hen and her newly- 

 hatched young. For a few days the disconsolate widower riew 

 about calling: then he \anished, ne\er to return. That is 

 always the way with Red-rumps. Like other true Pseplioti 

 they are the best of stayers as long as they are in pairs, 

 but once the cock has lost his mate you nmst ei'tlicr provide 



