198 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



olive-green, shading into yellowish-cream on the outer 

 ring; upper mandible coral-red, lower of a more 

 yellowish tinge; feet dark greenish slate coloured." 



This is a rarely-imported species, the first specimen of 

 which to reach the London Zoological Gardens was pur- 

 chased in 1871 ; a second was presented in 1875. 



Great-billed Farrakeet 

 (Tanygnathus viegalorhynchus). 



Green; feathers of interscapular region edged with 

 pale blue ; scapulars black, edged with blue ; greater 

 upper wing-coverts and flights blue, edged with green ; 

 lesser and median-coverts black, the latter edged with 

 bright yellow ; tail green, with yellow tips ; below 

 yellowish-green, the sides yellow, as are also the under 

 wing-coverts and axillaries ; tail below golden-yellow, 

 duller towards the base ; beak coral-red ; feet lead 

 colour; irides yellowish, with an outer white ring. 

 Female smaller than male, the beak noticeably smaller, 

 and narrower when viewed from above. Hab. , 

 " Western coast of Northern New Guinea, the Western 

 Papuan Islands, Mysol, Salawatty, Batanta, Waigiou, 

 and Guebeh, the Northern Moluccas of the Halmahera 

 group, and the Sanghir and Talart Islands : according 

 to ileyer also the ToL'ian Islands." (Salvadori). 



Dr. F. H. H. Guillemard (Proceedings of the Zoo- 

 logical Society, 1885. p. 562) describes the soft parts of 

 a male obtained at Weeda Island, S.-E. Halmahera, as 

 follows: "Iris whitish-yellow; bill scarlet; tarsus 

 dull olive-green." 



In Thi Ibi.K for 1879, p. 48, Dr. Meyer says : ■' It is 

 not easily found, as it retires into the deep forest. In 

 the middle of the day it sleeps or sits quietly, con- 

 cealed among the green foliage of high trees, and cries 

 very loudly if anyone approaches." 



I have found nothing further respecting the wild 

 life. Russ says of it : " A beautiful bird, but its gift 

 of speech is slight. Rare and single in the market. 

 Dr. Platen brought home six specimens. Price hardly 

 to be decided — 50, 100 to 120 marks for a specimen." 

 Mr. Seth-Smith does not agree with Russ ; he savs 

 ("Parrakeets," p. 92): "This Parrakeet is very 

 rarely imported; but if it were common I much doubt 

 whether it would ever be a favourite with avicul- 

 turists. It certainly is not beautiful." 



This species was first added to the living collection 

 of the London Zoological Society in 1856, after which 

 nineteen years elapsed before a second example was 

 purchased, and in 1884 a third was added, again by 

 purchase. 



Mueller's Parrakeet (Tanygnathus muclhri). 



Green ; the neck, interscapular region, scapulars, and 

 under surface yellowish-green ; lower back and rump 

 blue ; upper tail-coverts slightly edged with blue ; lesser 

 upper wing-coverts and prirnary-coverts edged with 

 blue; median and greater-coverts "edged with yellowish- 

 green ; tail above with the tip yellowish ; under wing- 

 coverts yellowish-green ; tail below golden olive-yellow ; 

 beak red ; feet olive-green ; irides whitish-yellow. 

 Female with the beak slightly shorter, less arched, and 

 more compressed before the commencement of the ter- 

 minal hook than in the male. Hab., Celebes and 

 perhaps Sula and Sanghir Islands. 



The Wliite-billed Parrakeet (T. albirostris of Wal- 

 lace), which formerly was recorded as a distinct species 

 in the list of animals in the Zoological Society's collec- 

 tion, is now decided to be the young of "Mueller's 

 Parrakeet. 



I have found no published field notes relating to this 

 bird The Zoological Society received its first speci- 



men (adult) in 1857 by presentation ; the first young 

 specimen was purchased in 1868, and the following year 

 adult and young were secured together ; others have 

 been added since that date. Russ says that it is not 

 rare in the market, but little admired. Dr. Slaten 

 brought home twenty head. Price when freshly im- 

 ported and rough 20, 30 to 55 marks for a specimen. 



Everett's Parrakeet {Tanygnathus everetti). 



Green ; neck slightly yellowish ; interscapular region 

 darker, with blue edges to the feathers ; lower back and 

 rump deep cobalt-blue ; upper tail-coverts more or less 

 edged with blue ; smaller upper wing-coverts edged with 

 blue near bend of wing ; all the others and the secon- 

 daries edged with yellowish-green ; primary- coverts 

 tinged with blue ; tail with paler tip ; head grass-green ; 

 under-parts paler yellowish-green ; under wing-coverts 

 indistinctly edged with yellowish-green ; tail below 

 golden olive-yellow. Female not diflerentiated. Hab., 

 "Philippine Islands, Samar, fanay, and Mindanao" 

 (Salvadori), 



A single example of this rare Parrakeet was im- 

 ported by the late Mr. Joseph Abrahams in 1882 (cf. 

 Russ, " Handbuch," p. 226). 



We now pass on to a group much better known to 

 aviculturists — the Ring-necked Parrakeets and allies 

 {Palaornis) — birds in their wild state most destructive 

 to orchards and gardens, especially where peas are 

 grown for food.* In captivity they should be fed 

 upon canary, oats, and hemp ; nuts in winter, peas in 

 the pod in summer, and any ripe fruit that may be 

 available daily. 



ClNGHALFSK ALEXANDRINE PaRRAKEET 



{Paloeornis f.upatria). 



Above grass-green ; wings darker green ; a dark-red 

 patch on the secondary wing-coverts ; central tail 

 feathers green at base, then changing to blue, and 

 yellowish at tips; forehead and lores brighter green: 

 a blackish stripe from nostrils to eye ; back of head 

 and cheeks tinged with greyish-blue ; a broad black 

 stripe from beak downwards and across sides of neck, 

 where it meets a rose-coloured collar round back of 

 neck ; under surface dingy-green, excepting on abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts, which are brighter ; greater 

 under wing-coverts and flights below slate-grey ; tail 

 below yellowish; beak deep cherry-red, paler on lower 

 mandible, yellowish at tip ; feet sap-green or leaden- 

 grey ; irides pale yellow, with greyish inner circle : 

 eyelid duU-reddish. Female rather smaller ; without 

 black stripe from beak round neck, and rose collar. 

 Hab.. Ceylon. 



Legge ("Birds of Ceylon," Vol. I., p. 170) says : — 

 "Large colonies of this species take up their abode in 

 districts where cocoanut cultivation borders on forests 

 and wild jungle, which afford an abundance of fruit- 

 bearing trees, on the berries of which the Alexandrine 

 Parrakeet subsists. It is also found in openly-timbered 

 country and in forests. It roosts in considerable 

 numbers in cocoanut groves, often close to a village, 

 pouring in about half an hour before sunset in small 

 swiftly-flying parties from all directions, which, as 

 their numbers increase towards the time for roosting, 

 create a deafening noise in the excitement of choosing 

 or finding their accustomed quarters. The fronds of the 

 cocoanut afford them a favourite perch, on which they 

 sleep huddled together in rows. At daybreak the vast 

 crowd is again astir, and after much ado, flying from 



* lly brother telle mie that the speed with which a sma.!] 

 flock of the Indiau epeoies wii'l empty the potlis in a row of 

 peas ie simply a^toniehiog:. 



