170 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



some years ago." [The, AvicvXtural Manazine, First 

 Series, Vol. VI., p. 142.) 



Mr. Seth-Smith also obtained a specimen in 1906, 

 which he at first paired up with a Musky Lorikeet ; 

 but, as the latter plucked out his wife's feathers, they 

 were separated, and she was subsequently paired with 

 a Tovi Parrakeet, with which she lived happily. 



Golden-winged Parrakeet (Brotogenjs chrysopferus). 



Differs from the preceding species in having the 

 forehead and chin brown instead of orange ; it is also 

 rather smaller. Female with the beak narrower at 

 base, with less defined culmen, also longer and without 

 indication of angle at end of cutting edge of upper 

 mandible when viewed from above. Hab., Guiana, 

 Venezuela, and Trinidad. 



I have found no notes on the wild life of this rarely 

 imported species. The Zoological Society of London 

 first received an example in exchange in 1878, and at 

 least one specimen has been added to the Regent's Park 

 collection since that date. 



TUI P.VRRAKEET {lirolofjcrj/s I III). 



The adult male is gra;ss-green above, the rump, upper 

 tail-coverts and under surface somewhat paler and 

 yellower ; front of head, lores, and a streak behind the 

 eye yellow ; ba.stard wing blue with green outer webs 

 to the feathers ; primary coverts bluish ; inner webs 

 of flighte blackish above, .bluish below ; greater imder 

 wing-coverts blue ; beak dark yellowish brown ; feet 

 clear horn grey, the claws darker ; iris brown. The 

 female has no yellow streak behind the eye ; her beak 

 also is narrower and shorter than in the "male. Hab., 

 Western Brazil, the Upper Amazons, Eastern Ecuador, 

 and Eastern Peru. 



According to Edward Bartlett (" Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society," 1873, p. 300), this species, like 

 B. xanthopttrus and B. jugularis, breeds in the white 

 ants' nests. 



_^ Mr. "Walter Goodfellow {The Ibis. 1902, p. 220) says : 

 " First seen by us on the Lower Na))o near the mouth 

 of the Curari. Just after we entered the Maraiion o'.rr 

 Indians discovered a nest a Little way off in the forest. 

 It was about twenty feet from the ground, in the hollow 

 of a branch. It contained five voung, some almost fullv 

 fledged, while others had hardly a feather on them. I 

 reared several of these, and brought them to England 

 with me." Mr. Goodfellow gives a fuller account (in 

 which, however, he says that six voung ones were 

 obtained from the nest) in The Aviciiltural Magazine. 

 First Series, Vol. \I., p. 126. It appears that thev fed 

 readily on banana until that gave out, and then, as 

 readily, took to caiiaryseed. One pair was brought 

 home; he found them tame and affectionate. 



Dr. Russ says that this is one of the smallest and 

 most beautiful of the small-beaked Parrots. He found 

 a pair which he turned into his bird-room uncommonlv 

 pleasing and lovable, and their chattering neither shrill 

 nor unpleasant, but on the contrary comical ; they were 

 peaceable towards smaller a.'i.sociates. Although they 

 took possession of a nest-box thev did not breed! 



Mr. Phillipps expresses .similar satisfaction with 

 three examples which he has owned ; he, however, con- 

 siders it a delicat« 'bird and one difficult to get into good 

 plumage. 



Although still rare in the market, this little bird is 

 more often imported than formerly ; it is, however, 

 unfortunate that it should be the "least hardy of it« 

 genus, since otherwise it has everything to endear it to 

 its owners. The Zoological Society of London secured 

 its first -specimen in 1862, and has" since owned several 

 others. 



CHAPTER XI 



SUB FAMILY PIONIN.'E. 

 Amazons, Caiques, etc. 



The Amazon Parrots a;e characterised by a rather 

 short, broad tail a.bout half the length of' the wing. 

 The oil-gland is not tufted : the under-surface of the 

 hook of the upper mandible has a roughened file-like 

 surface ; the cere which surrounds the entire base of 

 the beak is naked, and swollen in front of the nostrils. 

 The Amazons are confined to tropical America ; they 

 are noisy but intelligent birds, of rather large size, and 

 with bright green as the prevalent colour ; they are 

 somewhat treacherous, but very gifted as talkers", and 

 consequently are general favoimtes. In their wild'state 

 they appear to nest rather high up in the hollow- 

 branches of lofty trees ; the,v are very destructive to 

 fruit. In captivity a dry seed-mixture, consisting of 

 one part wheat to two each of dari, sunflower, and 

 canary, seems to suit them best : but a little maize,, 

 boiled for two hours, should be added once or twice a, 

 week ; nuts should be given in winter (the be.st being 

 Barcelonas or walnuts removed from the shells), and iiv 

 summer peas in the pod ; banana, ripe grapes, apple, or 

 orange should be given daily, and. for variety, occa- 

 sionally a piece of plain dr,v biscuit. On no account 

 should any form of animal food, any form of sop or 

 .squashy food be given, nor should any of the mixtures, 

 advertised under the misleading title of " Parrot Food " 

 be given to these or any other Parrots, inasmuch as- 

 they are suited to the requirements of none ; in fact, 

 the verv supposition that it is possible to prepare a 

 general food for an order of birds which varies so greatly 

 in the nature of its food ;is the Piittaci is preposterous, 

 on the face of it. 



As it is most important, in order to keep Parrots im 

 good health and plumage, that each group should be 

 fed according to rule and on the most suitable food, 

 so it is equally important to avoid unnatural drinks. 

 It is a common error with owners of Parrots to offer 

 them some of the drink which they happen to be them- 

 selves partaking of — usually milk. tea. coffee, cocoa, or 

 chocolate, though two instances have come under my 

 notice in which the unfortunate birds have been given 

 beer. Pure water only should be given, excepting, of 

 course, in case of illne.ss, when some me<licine or stimu- 

 lant may be temporarily added. To give unwholesome- 

 food or drink is to undermine a bird's constitution, 

 causing indigestion and all other ills to which the 

 feathered tribe is lia-ble. 



Should an Amazon catch cold, put a few chillies- 

 among its seeds and a few drops of tincture of iron with 

 a little glycerine (eight drops) in its drinking water. A 

 nasal douche, consisting of one part glyco-t hymoline; 

 to nine parts water, is also an excellent remedy. 



Gfilding's Amazon iCIiri/.inlis ijuUdingi). 

 Copper brown, with Ijlack edges to the feathers ;: 

 bastard-wing and primary-coverts green, the first some- 

 what bluish, the last orange at base of outer webs; 

 primaries black, yellow at base : secondaries blue, 

 edged with green, first three or four secondaries orange 

 at base, basis of inner secondaries ,vellow ; tertials 

 partly green ; edge of wing yellowish-orange in front, 

 yellowish-green behind, the edges of the feathers blue; 

 tail above with the base yellow and orange, the middle 

 blue, the tip yellow ; crown white, shading into yellow- 

 behind ; lores and feathers below the eyes white ;" back 

 and sides of head and throat blue, with the bases of 



