PARROTS. 



357 



now, forty-one species, distributccl from the Malay Islands over the South Sea Islands 

 to Australia and Tasmania. From the other genera of the family they differ in 

 having the tail feathers of the same size throughout their length, and longer than the 

 wings, tlie four middle ones unequal and longer than the rest. The feathers of the 

 back are lancet-sha])ed, and one feature, which is ahnost characteristic of the genus, is 

 that all the feathers have a dark centre and a lighter margin. The species are grega- 

 rious, and, while grass seeds form the bulk of their food, they feed also on flowers and 

 various insects. All are brilliantly colored, and are killed e.\tensivcly for food by the 

 inhabitants of the regions where they occur. Some are frequently kept as cage-birds, 

 the rosella parrot (P. eximius) being an especial favorite. It is active and lively. 





Fia. If.'_'. — I'lattjants t.riinitts, rtwlia (lar.'lkoct. 



and its colors are so bright that we m\ist take space to describe them. The head and 

 back of the neck are scarlet ; bdow, the chin and neck are wliite. The feathers of the 

 back are dark green, edged with a beautiful lighter green, and this latter color is also 

 seen in the tail-coverts. The bre.ist is yellow,^shadiMg on the belly into green. 



Afewsm.nll parrots witli strong bills, which arc higher than long,t.iils shorter 

 than the wings, a cere like that of the last family, or in the shape of a band surmount- 

 ing the base of the bill, form the family MunopsiTTAciD.fi. Their distribution is 

 much like that of the last family, except that Papua seems to be their metropolis. Of 

 their h.diits but little is known except that their food consists largely of soft fruits, 

 supplemented by insects. 



