tjS Accoiirtt of d Parrot hatched, dt Rome. 



On the 20th of Augiifl:, when it \X'as well covered w^ith 

 feathers, the mother, which had conltantly flept in the nell 

 with its 3'oune, abandoned it, and flept by the male as vifual. 



On the 25th of Auguft, the young parrot flept out of the 

 ncCt, 



II. Habits of thefe Birds — (heir Atlachvient — Method of 

 rearing I heir Young. 



It has not been obfervcd that thcTe parrots fpcak more 

 in funimcr than in winter. Thev did not fecm to fuft'er any 

 inconvenience from the heat : yet thev wafh themfelvcs in 

 fumnier, and, when the lun is ardent, place themfelves in 

 the Ihade : on the other hand, they fiek for the fun in 

 winter. Thev fcem much aft'eclcd by a chaiioe of weather; 

 and during Itorms they are under great agitation, and fend 

 forth loud cries. 



No particular time of their moultinsi has been remarked :■ 

 it takes place gradually in the courle of the year. 



Thefe birds copulate only once a year,' in the fpring: it 

 was alwavs in the latter cud of March and begiuiiing of 

 April that they fliowcd llgns of it. At this time, the male 

 redoubles his carelTes to the female, which returns them by 

 marks of the greatell fcnfd)ility. Thev kifs wiih their bills, 

 fcratch each other, and flroke, one bv one, the fmall feathers 

 of the head. Sometimes the male, preffing his throat, by 

 a fort of ruminaticju throws tip lome morfels he has iwal- 

 lowed, and prefents ihem with his bill to his companion, 

 which eats them with great aviditv. 



After thefe preludes, they copulate like pigeons. They co- 

 pulate fevera! times a day : they have been leen to copulate 

 even three times in a morning, and it is to be prelumed that 

 they did fo feveral times more in the courfe of the dav; which 

 proves that tiiey arc exceedingly warm. 



According to our obfervations they conftniA no neft. 

 They collected no feathers, bits of iiraw, or any otlier hght 

 bodies witiiin their reach. The female dcpolited her eggs 

 in the iame veflcl, withtjut carrying any thing to it. 



The eggs are as large as thof&of a pigeon, and are entirely 

 white. As fome authors have obfcrvcd that tlie eggs of the 

 Amazon parrot are fpotted with gray, while ihofcof the parrot 

 in (jueflion were white, there is realbn to conclude that the 

 ttate of ddmcdicity has an influence on the colour of the 

 eggs, as it has fometimcs on that of the pkunage. Tiiis 

 ohforvation did not efcape Arillotle *. 



The number of eggs was always two, except once, whca 



* Milt. AniuKil. lio. si. c. 1. 



there 



