Parrakeets. 39 



accommodation and left undisturbed, will probably breed. Tiie 

 following species belonging to this group may be mentioned. 

 The RoSELLA {P. eximiiis), Pennant's Pakrakeet {P. elegans), 

 the Mealy Rosella (/*. pallidiceps), the Stanley Parrakeet 

 (/*. iclerotis). Brown's Parkakeet (P. bro2V7ii). 



The genus Psephotus contains some of the most beautiful 

 and desirable of the Australian Parrakeets. The best-known 

 being the Red-rump (/'. hcsmatofiotics), a hardy and free-breeding 

 species. The Many-coloured Parrakeet {P. vinliicolof') is 

 fairly hard3% and has been bred by several aviculturists. While 

 of the rarer species there are the very distinct Blue-bonnet, of 

 which there are two races (/*. xanthotThoiis ^.wA P. hania(orrhojis), 

 the Beautiful {P. p^dcherrimus), the Golden - shouldered 

 {P. chrysopteryoi7is) and the recently-described Hooded (/*. 

 C2iadlat7is), the three last mentioned being extremely rare and 

 rather delicate. 



There are man}' other desirable seed-eating Parrakeets in 

 Australia, such as the King {Aprosjuicius cyanopygius) and 

 Crimson-wing {Ptistes erythroptems), the Alexandra {-Spathop- 

 tenis alexa7idrce) and Barraband's {Polytelis barraba7idi), as well 

 as the beautiful Grass Parrakeets of the genus Neophema. 



South America contains a large group of Parrakeets known 

 as Conures, most of which are comparatively hardy and easily 

 kept on a simple seed diet and green food. They are not so 

 popular as the Australian Parrakeets, nor, as a rule, are the}' 

 such free breeders. 



The PataGONIAN Conure is a large bird of a dull greenish 

 colour relieved by yellow and blue. The Black-headed and Red- 

 headed Conures (C nenday and C. riibiolarvalus) are bright 

 green birds with characteristic markings on the head. The 

 Cactus and Brown-throated (C cactor2U)i and C. aeniginosus) 

 are smaller, tame and confiding little birds, which make charming 

 cage pets ; while several small and pretty species are contained 

 in the genus Pyrrhiira, the best known being the White-EARED 

 Conure {P. leucolis). 



To the same sub-family belong the Grey-breasted or 

 Quaker Parrakeet, a parrot distinguished from all others by 

 its habit of constructing a large domed nest of twigs ; the 



