i86 Some Notes on Keeping Parrakects. 



Some Notes on Keeping Parraheets. 



By The Marquis of Tavistock. 



( Cojitiinied from page 104). 

 CONURES. 



I have never been what a dealer once described as a 

 " strong- bnyer of Coniires," and therefore only feel qualified 

 to refer to this family of parrakeets in a brief and general way. 

 In my own opinion there are only three s])ecies whose beauty 

 compensates for the disagreeable qualities characteristic of the 

 genus, and I have never been fortunate enough to obtain them. 

 Conures are very noisy, very destructive to woodwork, and very 

 vicious with other birds, though some consent to live in amity 

 with their own and alHed species. On the other hand, to give 

 them their due, Conures are lively, amusing, and easy to keep, 

 and breed in outdoor aviaries. They do fairly well in close 

 confinement, and become much attached to their owners, show- 

 ing, in some cases, a fair aptitude for talking. When kept in 

 cages they should have very little hemp or sunflower seed and 

 .plenty of fruit to eat and branches to gnaw, otherwise they are 

 subject to liver disease and feather-plucking. They are great 

 bathers. 



The sexes are usually very difficult to distinguish. 

 Quaker Parrakeet ( Myopsiitacus monachus ). 



Like the conures, the Quaker parrakeet is noisy, vicious 

 with all but its own species, and very destructive, being able to 

 bite through wire netting with ease. It is hardy and will stand 

 any amount of cold, l;)ut generally does badly if continually 

 caged. As most aviculturists know, it is the only parrot w'hich 

 builds a nest of sticks. Quakers have been bred at liberty in 

 this country, but as a rule they are not to be recommended for 

 turning out, as they do a lot of mischief to the garden, and 

 generally stray after staying well for some months. T know 

 of no method of distinguishing the sexes, 



