PARROTS. 



361 



Aiiparently one species of this family was known to the ancients. Onesicrites, the 

 admiral of Alexander the Great, brought from Ceylon a green parrot with a red rin<r 

 around its neck. Some have regarded this as the form known to science as Palceomis 

 oipatrius, while Liniie thouglit he recognized the ancient form in a species from Java, 

 which he therefore called I', alexandri. Now most people think that the common 

 ring-parrot of India, the Palceomis torquatus, was the bird brought by Alexander's 

 sailors. Others more or less closely allied \\ere brought to Gi-eece and Rome from 



Fio. IM. — Patanmia iorquahts, ring-parrot. 



Africa. These were the only parrots then known, and from their beauty, as well as 

 their docility and powers of speech, they were irreat favorites. 



The ring-parrot occurs both in India and Africa. In the former country it is one 

 of the most abundant of the order, not only in the forests, l)ut even about towns and 

 vill.ages. It fonns a pest in some localities on .account of its rav.ages in the ficMs and 

 gardens. It associ.ites in large flocks, sometimes of thousands, and when these descend 

 on a field of gr.ain, the amount they consume is of considerable account. It has a harsh 

 cry, and learns to repeat a few words, but is not nearly so good a talker as some of the 

 otiier species. 



