All Rights Reserved. July, 191 9. 



BIRD NOTE S : 



THE 



JOURNAL OF THE FOREIGN BIRD CLUB. 



Notes on the Great-billed Parraheet. 



( Tanygnathus macrorhynchiiH). 



By The Marquis of Tavistock. 



Probably few aviciilturists have owned this remarkable 

 parrot, thoug'h many may be familiar with the specimen at the 

 Zooloi^ical Gardens. 



I obtained four in the winter of 1913 — all cocks as it 

 turned out — thoug'h. at first, I thought I had two pairs. The 

 birds, which were in rough plumage, were kept in a warm room 

 and given the usual food. They agreed well together, although 

 two years later the three survivors for a time resented the 

 introduction of a new arrival, although it was a female. 



vSoon after receiving them I noticed the Great-bills were 

 rather badly infested with tapeworms, of which I succeeded 

 ridding them by doses of cina in the drinking water. 



When summer came the birds were turned out, with cut 

 wings, in a grass enclosure, - where they did quite well, but, as 

 they had not moulted T took them in again for the winter. 

 About this time I had to move most of my birds into temporary 

 quarters in the Isle of Wight. The following year one of 

 the original four died and was replaced by a young bird which 

 has turned out to be a female. For two seasons I kept the 

 Great-bills in a small outdoor avairy in summer and caged them 

 during the winter. They improved in plumage when out of 

 doors, but always got rough again when taken in. I believe 

 that I should have done better to have left them out altogether, 

 as. except when moulting, they are by no means sensitive to 

 cold if given shelter from rain and wind, 



