140 Birds I Have Kept 



In the female the rump is the same colour as the rest of 

 her body, and the blue patch on her wings smaller than in 

 the case of her spouse. 



It is a native of Brazil, but, like many other importations 

 from that country, is, nevertheless, perfectly hardy, and ap- 

 parently quite indifferent to the many vicissitudes of our ever 

 changing climate. 



Dr. Euss, to quote once more from that distinguished 

 naturalist and authority in all matters pertaining to bird lore, 

 has succeeded in breeding these birds to the third generation; 

 but the specimens in my possession have not as yet attempted 

 to perpetuate their race. 



The Blue- wing, which is also called the Passerine Parrot, 

 or Parrakeet, is one of the very few foreign birds described 

 by Bechstein in his admirable book, published originally in 

 1792; he gives it the name of Sperlings papagei, its scientific 

 appellation is Psittaciis passerinus, and its French name La 

 Perruche passerine ete, or le Troui ete (Buffon). 



So far I have found these birds quite peaceable in the 

 aviary, and Dr. Euss says that they are usually so, though 

 an *old male will sometimes attack small birds and bite their 

 legs. Like the rest of the Parrot family, the Blue-wings are 

 said to nest in the hollow branch of a tree, but I cannot 

 say whether or not they make a nest of splinters of wood 

 like their relatives of the white head, and the rosy face. 



In the house their food consists of millet and canary seed, 

 but they also eat hemp, especially in winter, and seem to 

 like it. I have not observed them bathe, but they like to 

 roll in wet grass, after the fashion of the Budgerigar. They 

 are not such active birds as the "White-heads on the wing, 

 but are for ever climbing among the branches in the aviary, 

 where they may frequently be seen walking head downwards 

 from one end of a bough to the other. 



The male has a sharp little cry, which would be called a 

 harsh scream if it were louder. 



