172 Parrots @^ Parakeets 



They are not very desirable cage birds, unless they 

 have been reared from the nest, when they can be 

 very gentle. 



They rejoice in the title of Callocephalon Galeatum, 

 but no one would want to ask for that in a bird shop, 

 so that the everyday bird fancier need not trouble to 

 commit it to memory. 



It is a pity there are no pigmy cockatoos, for there 

 is something extremely attractive in miniatures, which 

 occur in certain tribes and families of birds. 



Amongst the parrots there are the tiny hanging 

 ones, and the pretty little love-birds of West Africa 

 with their brilliant green bodies, bright orange faces, 

 and stumpy tails barred with blue and red. 



The peach-faced love-birds, or rose-faced — which 

 is better — will breed in an aviary, but they are often 

 spiteful to other inmates. 



They are hardier than their orange-faced cousins, 

 and slightly larger. 



Then there is the family of conures, medium-sized 

 parakeets with horrible shrill voices. 



The golden one with green wings is very striking. 

 Conures are generally ill-tempered to most people, but 

 there are, of course, exceptions to every rule. 



A family of small parrots usually noted for gentle- 

 ness in captivity is that of pionus, of which there are six 

 or seven known species, coming from South America. 



The bronze-winged pionus is peculiarly coloured. 

 Deep brown and blue blend together, producing a 

 sombre yet rich effect, whilst a lovely cerise under the 

 tail sets off the other parts. 



