PALvEORNIN.t;. 257 



Bill deep red, yellowish beneath ; feet plumbeous ; irides pale 

 yellow. 



Length 21 inches ; wing 8^ ; tail 11^; bill at gape 1^; height 1^. 

 The female wants the collar of the male, and is generally less bright- 

 ly coloured. The beak of this species is very large and strono-. 



The Alexandrine Parrakeet is found in the Lower Himalayas, 

 in the forests of Malabar, also in the hilly region of Central 

 India, and the northern Circars. It is occasionally found in parts 

 of the Carnatic; but it is not till you get far north, that it is at all 

 common. It is bv no means confined to hill reaions, for I 

 have found it breeding in a grove of trees in the Deccan, not 

 far, however, from some low hills ; and it often comes into the 

 open country to feed, but generally returns at night to the 

 hills or jungles. It is said to be the ordinary Parrakeet of the 

 Punjab, and was thence, doubtless, taken to Europe by Alexander ; 

 but Adams says it is not so common there as the next species. 

 It is abundant in Ceylon, and in Northern Burmah. 



This species is not nearly so common in the south of India, as the 

 next ; and the first time I became aware of its occurring in the 

 extreme south, was finding one dropped by a Shahin {Falco pere- 

 grinator), which I fired at in an open space in the jungles of 

 Malabar. It feeds both on fruits and grain, and sometimes re- 

 turns great distances to roost in trees near the hills. At such 

 times it flies at a great height. The call of this species is full 

 and rich. It breeds in the cold weather, December and January, 

 in holes of trees, and lays usually four white eggs. 



148. Palseornis torquatus, Bodd. 



Psittacus, apud Boddaert — PL Enl. 551 — Sykes, Cat. 20 



Jerdon, Cat. 200— Blyth, Cat. 17— IIorsf., Cat. mi—Tiya, in 

 Bengal— GaZZar, H. in the N. W.— Tenthia suga, in Nepal— i?/^»ar 

 at Mussooree— i?a^ofl, and Keerah, Mahr.— Z?/6ar tota, H., of 

 Shikaries in the ^OMili—Chilluka, Tel.—Killi, Tarn. 

 The RosE-RixGED Parrakeet. 



Z>gsc/-.— Colours much as in the last, but without the red 

 shoulder spot ; the black band in front extends under the chin, 

 meeting its fellow, and reaches backward nearly to the nape, 



2 K 



