PICARIAN BIRDS AND PARROTS OF CEYLON. 267 
Habits, &c.—Somewhat similar to those of the common 
Crow Pheasant, but this species is found mainly in high grass. 
It feeds largely on grasshoppers. In India the breeding 
season lasts from May to August. The nest is a domed 
structure of long grass woven in among growing grass stems. 
Two or three chalky-white eggs are laid, measuring about 
7 by 1-01: 
Order PSITTACI. 
Family Psirracip®. 
Parrots. 
The Parrots form a distinct order, whose nearest affinities 
are with the Owls and Hawks. The feet are zygodactylic ; 
the bill is short, stout, and boldly hooked, the upper mandible 
is loosely articulated to the skull and is movable ; the base of 
the bill is covered by a cere of fleshy skin ; the tongue is thick 
and fleshy. All species lay white eggs in a hollow excavated 
in the stem or branch ofa tree. The young are naked when 
hatched. Parrots are found all round the world, mainly 
in the tropics, but one species occurs as far north as Carolina, 
United States of America, others as far south as New Zealand 
and Patagonia. They all have more or less the same habits, 
feeding on fruits and seeds and going about in flocks. The 
flight is swift and straight, and the cry a harsh scream. They 
are not well represented in India, as only three genera belong- 
ing to one family are found within Indian limits. In Ceylon 
_ we have four species of the genus Palxornis and one species of 
Loriculus. Out of these five species three are peculiar to the 
Tsland. 
Rough Key to Ceylon Parrots. 
A.—Tail long ; the middle feathers much longer than the 
rest. Genus Palxornis. — 
(a) Head and body green; males with, females 
without, a rose collar on hind-neck. 
(1) Alarge red patch on wing coverts ; wing about 8. 
P. eupatria (Large Ceylonese Paroquet). 
(2) No red patch on wing coverts ; wing about 6°3. 
P. torquatus (Rose-ringed Paroquet). 
