The Bhic-rumpcd "Parrot. 120 



size. At tinios they aic li\<'ly oMou,i,''h, but tlicy g-enerally 

 roniain inolioiilcss and limnp l)ack(Ml. They have quite a plea- 

 sant warhh' a'lil occasioiially .yivc a loud rail note. When 

 a stranger (Miters the aviary the male will sometimes sus- 

 pend himsoir by tlic lirak only on tlio sido of the cage and 

 draw up liis |(\us. I'c IIkmi looks a curious object and 1 think 

 this attitude; is a sign of fear. T have not seen them 'bathe 

 but the water is made (piitc dirty on account of their habit 

 of carrying fruit stones, nutshells, etc., to the water tray and 

 drooping them in. The only times When they have appeared 

 out of sorts were on the iwo occasions when they returned 

 home after being exhibited. They then remained somewhat 

 thick for a few days but happily quite recovered. 



I recently saw the other pair at the Zoo and was glad 

 to find them in such j^erfect condition. The success of these 

 four birds shows that they can live well in captivity, but 

 it must be remembered that they were imported quite young. 

 The record of Blue-rumped Parrots imported in adult plumage 

 does not appear so satisfactory. The birds I have men- 

 tioned which arrived in 1 904 did not live long, and -our 

 Editor speaks of a pair {B.N. iii., p. 5.3), which arrived 

 in 1910 and soon died. Moreover I heard that others were 

 privately sent over last year, but owing to the difficultj'- 

 of getting them to eat the importation was not a success. 

 I find in Mr Seth- Smith's book that the Blue-rumped Parrot 

 " feeds chiefly on the small gummy flowers of a plant that 

 always springs up where forest has been felled and burnt.'" 

 r am afraid that sometimes a substitute for these small gummy 

 flowers is necessary for recently imported adults of this species 

 to thrive. 



[The studies of Mr. Goodchild's beautiful drawing were 

 made from. Mr. Hawkins' birds at the C.P. Show]. 



My Indian Consignment, 



By Ma.tor G. a. Perreau, F.Z.S. 

 (Cotifnnied from page 108). 

 The Red-tteaded Tit {Arcfiihnliscus erythrocephalus) 

 is a charming wee mite, very much of the type of our Long- 



