70



The Marquis of Tavistock,



crown; the forehead and throat are buttercup-yellow, and immediately

below the yellow of the throat is a small patch of scarlet. Scarlet

feathers also frequently appear on the thighs of the female.


Hens and young birds are of a much duller green, and the

neck, cheeks and breast have a greyish shade. The beak is small

and reddish-pink.


Barrabands are rather noisy, uttering various shrill cries,

which, however, hardly deserve to be called screeches. One of the

commonest of their calls sounds something like “ Crrraow ! Crrraow ! ”

The normal clutch of eggs appears to he five, but in captivity a

smaller number is often laid and only one brood is reared in a season.

The female alone incubates, and there seems to he nothing peculiar

about the nesting arrangements.


Barrabands agree well among themselves, and although I

have always separated my pairs before allowing them to go to

nest, I am not sure that the precaution is necessary. In mixed

company the “ Green Leek ” shows itself rather fond of worrying

weaker birds but it is not really murderous—anyhow with Parra-

keets.


Like most tropical birds, Barrabands require warmth when

first imported, hut afterwards they become quite indifferent to severe

cold. They are not difficult to tame, and make nice pets, far gentler

than the Platycerci ; although by nature exceedingly restless and

active and needing much wing exercise to ensure fertility in confine¬

ment, they stand cage life well, and do not suffer in health and spirits

seen to the same extent as the Broad-tails ; no one, however, who has

this beautiful bird in the enjoyment of a good-sized aviary, or

watched its wonderful flight in a state of complete freedom, would

wish to keep it immured for life within the limits of an ordinary

Parrot cage.


When once acclimatised Barrabands are as hardy and long-

lived as any Parrakeet I know, and thrive upon the usual seed

mixture plus fruit, green food and mealworms; they are especially

fond of grapes. But they are kittle cattle to deal with during the

first twelve months of their captivity. Many, in fact most of the

hens become wholly or partially paralysed in the legs soon after

capture, while a large proportion of both sexes develop a kind of



