The Marquess of Tavistock — Some Notes on Pcsquet's Parrot 201



in a crevice, as I thought, dangerously near the footpath, but over¬

hanging the torront. On July 12,1904, in the gorge of the Bernina-back

at Pontresina, close to the village, and just above the old bridge, T saw

a male feeding the female in a chink of the rock, while several of the

first brood were foraging for themselves, and now and then came into

sight. My friends and I frequently visited the place and could stand

down by the water with the nest only some 30 feet above us. But we

had to be careful, for the river-bank is a favourite promenade. However,

so far as we could tell, no one save ourselves had noticed the birds. In

1913, after the extension of the Bernina railway and much blasting of

the rock, and many changes in and about the gorge, I looked for the

Wall-creepers in vain.



SOME NOTES ON PESQUET’S PARROT

(DAS YPT1L US PESOUETI)


By the Marquess of Tavistock


Seeing that practically nothing has been recorded of the habits

of this strange Parrot from New Guinea, and that only two examples

appear to have ever reached Europe alive, a few notes on my bird

may be of some scientific and avicultural interest.


Dasyptilus pesqueti is about the size of a Greater Sulphur-crested

Cockatoo—perhaps a little larger—and the head and beak have a

remarkably close resemblance to these of a Turkey Buzzard. The

greater part of the plumage is black, some of the smaller feathers being

edged with grey. The thighs, lower breast, and abdomen are scarlet,

as are portions of the outer and inner wing coverts and the web of part

of a few flight feathers. The tongue is pale pink like that of a human

being, the eyes large and dark, and the feet and bill blackish.


In dealing with an entirely new bird food is apt to be a bit of a

difficulty. The Pesquet had been brought over on the food usually

supplied to Lories, but as his tongue was not that of a honey-eater

I thought it advisable to get him on to a more solid diet. Seed, grain,

greenstuff, and boiled carrot he absolutely refused to touch, but he took

quite readily to banana and moistened sponge-cake. This now con¬

stitutes his principal diet, though an attempt to discontinue the liquid



