190 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



breed. They are very little birds, difficult to approach, 

 and take a good deal of hitting to bring them down." 



Dr. Rues speaks of this as a rarely imported Parrot ; 

 a pair which he possessed died from excessive heat 

 during the month of June. Whether Meyer's Parrot is 

 more freeily imported into England than into Germany 

 I do not know ; but, since the London Zoological Society 



MEYER'S PARROT. 



first acquired the species in 1855, a good many examples 

 have found their way to the Gardens ; it is rare in 

 private collections. 



RUEPPELL'S PARROT (Pccocephalus rueppelli). 

 General colour smoky brown ; feathers of rump and 

 upper tail-coverts with darker edges ; bend of wing 

 and front edge yellow ; sides of head greyish, the ear- 

 coverts decidedly silvery- greyish ; under wing-coverts 

 and thighs yellow, the latter more or less tinged with 

 orange ; beak and feet dark horn-colour ; irides orange. 

 Female smaller, with the lower back, rump and upper 



tail-coverts bright blue ; vent and under tail -coverts 

 washed with paler duller blue; beak leas powerful. 

 Hab.. "South-Western Africa from Benguela, perhaps 

 also from Gaboon, to Damar aland " (Salvadori). 



In Sharpe and Layard's " Birds of South Africa," 

 p. 196, we read : Mr. Anderson gives the following 

 note : " This species is common in Damaraland, but is 

 chiefly found in the middle and southern parts of that 

 country ; it is always met with in small flocks of about 

 half-a-dozen individuals, and seems to prefer the larger 

 kind of trees. It is rather shy, and when quietly perched 

 amongst the branches is veiry difficult to perceive, until 

 its presence is betrayed by the cries it utters a. roon 

 as it conceives itself to be in danger ; these are at first 

 shrill and isolated, but increase in strength oaid fre- 

 iiuency till it leaves its perch, and are usually continue 1 

 during its flight, which is generally short, but very 

 rapid. It is rarely found fair from water, which it 

 usually frequents twice a day. 

 It feeds, on seed and berries, some- 

 times also on the young shoots of 

 trees and plants." 



Ruse does not mention this 

 species in his Handbook ; but in. 

 1882 four specimens from Western 

 Africa were purchased for the 

 Zoological Society's collection in 

 Regent's Park ; two others were 

 subsequently received dead from 

 Mr. Jamrach (who probably sent 

 them for examination in order to 

 decide the sexual differences ; the 

 year following a third (living) 

 example was presented to the 

 Garden reputed to be from East 

 Africa. 



This completes the Parrots of 

 the sub-family Pionince. and brings 

 us to the nearly related forms of 

 the sub-family Psittacince. 



SUB-FAMILY PSITTACIN. 

 Typical Parrots. 



The general colouring of these 

 birds is either grey or brown, often 

 with a certain amount of red ; 

 they are characterised by the broad 

 cere at the base of the upper 

 mandible, narrower below the 

 nostrils ; the latter rounded, not 

 encircled by a swelling ; the orbital 

 region and often tihe lores occupied 

 by an extensive naked area; beak 

 without notch, the lower mandible 

 longer than deep. The species 



inhabit, the Ethiopian Region, Madagascar, the Comoro 

 and Seychelles Islands, and one genus and species comes 

 from New Guinea. 



In captivity the imported species of this sub-family, 

 when first imported, and if unable then to crack seed, 

 should be fed upon maize, boiled for two hours, and 

 banana; so soon, however, as they are old enough to 

 take hard food, a mixture of one part wheat, two dan, 

 two hemp, and two canaay (by measure) shouQd be 

 gradually substituted for the 'boiled maize ; muts> should 

 be addedi dn winter, and green peas in the pod in 

 summer; fruit also should (be given daily, especially 



