iSgi.] Butler o/i the Carolina Parrakeet. C7, 



whose limits are undetined, in Indian Territory, extending prob- 

 ably into Texas and possibly into Arkansas and Missouri, where 

 Parrakeets are said to be found still. It is but natural to think 

 that the extinction of these birds is but a question of a few years. 

 Not a great deal is known of the habits of these birds through- 

 out their earlier range, but some characteristic facts are remem- 

 bered, and for such as I have I am indebted to the gentlemen 

 whose names I have mentioned. The species seems to have been 

 present throughout the year over most, if not all, of its range, 

 and consequently must have bred. They were currently reported 

 to hibernate, but sometimes appear to have been active during 

 winter. Concerning the habit of hibernation I am furnished the 

 following note by Prof. Collett : "In 1842 Return Richmond of 

 Lodi, Indiana, cut down, in the cold weather of winter, a syca- 

 more tree some four feet in diameter. In its hollow trunk he 

 found hundreds of PaiTakeets in a quiescent or semi-torpid condi- 

 tion. The weather was too cold for the birds to fly or even to 

 make any exertion to escape. Mr. Richmond cut oft' with his 

 saw a section of the hollow trunk some five feet long, cut out a 

 doorway one foot by two in size, nailed over it a wire screen of 

 his fanning mill, rolled this cumbersome cage into the house, and 

 placed in it a dozen of the birds. They soon began to enjoy the 

 feed of fruit, huckleberries and nuts he gave them, and he had the 

 pleasure of settling absolutely the disputed question as to how 

 they slept. At night they never rested on a perch, but suspended 

 themselves by their beaks and with their feet on the side of the 

 cage. This was repeated night after night during their captivity." 

 To Mr. W. B. Seward I am indebted for the following notes : 

 ''My first intimate acquaintance with the Parrakeet was about the 

 year 1845 when I secured a nest of young ones on the border of 

 White River, in Owen County. The nest was in a decayed tree 

 that had been blown down by the wind. The young birds had 

 been secured by a farmer boy of whom I bought them soon after 

 they had been captured. I think there were five of them. My 

 impression now is that the nest was inside of the tree, but of this 

 I am not now positive owing to the lapse of time and the fact that 

 I was more interested in the pets I had secured than in the exact 

 situation of the nest where they were hatched. But I remember 

 that it was a much decayed tree with but few limbs, so it was 

 hardly possible that there was a place on the outside of the tree 



