156 GARDEN AND AVIARY BIRDS. 
Parrots are found throughout the warm regions of the 
world, and a few even in temperate climates; but there 
are none wild in Europe, and only one in the United 
States. Only a few kinds are found in India, but many 
are imported from the Eastern Islands, Australia, and 
even South America, and are so well known as to have 
native names. Parrots, indeed, are the oldest and most 
universally popular of all pet birds, largely on account of 
their well-known power of imitating the human voice; 
and of late years it has been realized that the smaller 
species at all events are most admirably suited for 
aviaries. 
As this work deals only with the birds of the garden 
nd aviary, I shall not say anything about the large spe- 
cies of Parrots—Cockatoos, &c.,commonly kept in cages ; 
and in dealing with the aviary birds, I shall be compelled 
to limit myself to a few easily obtained and particularly 
desirable species, space not permitting to treat of all the 
many kinds imported. In keeping and handling Parrots, 
it must be remembered that they bite like rats, and they 
must by no means be associated with birds smaller than 
themselves ; in fact, if their companions are bigger it will 
be just as well. With birds of their own order they 
get on fairly well, so that several kinds may be kept 
together; though not always if they are breeding. 
For breeding accommodation, boxes with a small entrance 
hole or some other artificial cavity, should be provided- 
A section of an old log with a chamber hollowed out in it 
would be best of all, because most natural. Fortunately 
they seldom require arimal food, so they are very casy to 
