Some Notes on Keeping Parrakeets. I25 



company; the majority are more peaceable than Broadtails when 

 associated with other parrots, and perhaps a trifle less trust- 

 worthy with birds of other orders. A number can usually be 

 kept together out of the breeding season. In addition to its 

 unpleasantly shrill call-note the Ring-neck possesses a kind of 

 " song " which is distinctly agreeable out of doors, though too 

 loud for a room. In an aviary the Ring-neck is destructive to 

 woodwork at certain times of the year, but does not bite through 

 wire netting. 



As a cage pet the cock alone is to be recommended, the 

 hen being usually noisy, uninteresting, ill-tempered, and unable 

 to talk. 



Ring-necks can be wintered out of doors. 



African Rixg-xeck (Palccornis docilis). 

 Very like the Indian bird in all respects, save that it 

 possesses a dark-coloured beak instead of a bright red one. It 

 is equally hardy and is usually, as its name implies, a more docile 

 and better-behaved occupant of the aviary than P. torquata. 



Alexandrine Parrakeet (Palcroynis alc.vcDidrina ). 



The Alexandrine Parrakeet is the largest member of the 

 family, and. everything" considered, may be regarded as a good- 

 tempered bird in all company, able to take care of itself whei'. 

 attacked, but preferring to live at peace with its neighbours. 

 It is, however, very destructive to woodwork, and has a voice 

 to waken the dead. Mine appear unable to bite wire netting, 

 and at liberty were not destructive to trees, as I expected the\ 

 would be; in fact, the Alexandrine is rather a nice bird to keep 

 loose if you can trust your neighbours not to shoot him ; he looks 

 fine on the wing, has a good idea of finding his way about, is 

 too big for vermin to tackle, and can stand any weather. If 

 given plenty of fruit at home, it will not, as a rule, occur to him 

 to help himself from the orchard. 



.Some people have found the Alexandrine an intelligent 

 and affectionate pet. but the majority of these birds are much 

 too noisy for the house. Both sexes have the red wing-bar 

 but the cock alone has a ring round the neck. 



