198 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



olive-green, shading into yellowish-cream on the outer 

 ring ; upper mandible coral-red, lower of a more 

 yellowish tinge; feet dark greenish slate coloured." 



This is a rarely-imported species, the first specimen of 

 which to reach the London Zoological Gardens was pur- 

 chased in 1871 ; a second was presented in 1875. 



GREAT-BILLED FARRAKEET 

 (Tanygnatkus megalorhynchus). 



Green; feathers of interscapular region edged with 

 pale blue ; scapulars black, edged with blue ; greater 

 upper wing-coverts and nights blue, edged with green ; 

 lesser and median-coverts black, the latter edged with 

 bright yellow ; tail green, with yellow tips ; below 

 yellowish-green, the sides yellow, as are also the under 

 wing-coverts and axillaries ; tail below golden-yellow, 

 duller towards the base ; beak coral-red ; feet lead 

 colour; irides yellowish, with an outer white ring. 

 Female smaller than male, the beak noticeably smaller, 

 and narrower when viewed from above. Hab., 

 " Western coast of Northern New Guinea, the Western 

 Papuan Islands, Mysol, Salawatty, Batanta, Waigiou, 

 and Guebeh, the Northern Moluccas of the Halmahera 

 group, and the Sanghir and Talart Islands ; according 

 to Meyer also the Toyian Islands." (Salvadori). 



Dr. F. H. H. Guillemard (Proceedings of the Zoo- 

 logical Society, 1885, p. 562) describes the soft parts of 

 a male obtained at Weeda Island, S.-E. Halmahera, as 

 follows: "Iris whitish-yellow; bill scarlet; tarsus 

 dull olive-green." 



In The Ibis for 1879, p. 48, Dr. Meyer says : ' It is 

 not easily found, as it retires into the deep forest. In 

 the middle of the day it sleeps or sits quietly, con- 

 cealed among the green foliage of high trees, and cries 

 very loudly if anyone approaches. ' ' 



I have found nothing further respecting the w T ild 

 life. Russ says of it : "A beautiful bird, but its gift 

 of speech is slight. Rare and single in the market. 

 Dr. Platen brought home six specimens. Price hardly 

 to be decided 50, 100 to 120 marks for a specimen." 

 Mr. Seth-Smith does not agree with Russ ; he says 

 (" Parrakeets," p. 92): "This Parrakeet is very 

 rarely imported; but if it were common I much doubt 

 whether it would ever be a favourite with avicul- 

 turists. It certainly is not beautiful." 



This species was first added to the living collection 

 of the London Zoological Society in 1856, after which 

 nineteen years elapsed before a second example was 

 purchased, and in 1884 a third was added, again by 

 purchase. 



MUELLER'S PAURAKEET (Tuny gnat lius muelhri). 



Green ; the neck, interscapular region, scapulars, and 

 under surface yellowish-green ; lower back and rump 

 blue ; upper tail- coverts slightly edged with blue ; lesser 

 upper wing-coverts and primary-coverts edged with 

 blue ; median and greater-coverts edged with yellowish- 

 green ; tail above with the tip yellowish ; under wing- 

 coverts yellowish-green; tail below golden olive-yellow; 

 beak red; feet olive-green; irides whitish-yellow. 

 Female with the beak slightly shorter, less arched, and 

 more compressed before the commencement of the ter- 

 minal hook than in the male. Hab., Celebes and 

 perhaps Sula and Sanghir Islands. 



The White-billed Parrakeet (T. albirostris of Wal- 

 lace), which formerly was recorded as a distinct species 

 in the list of animals in the Zoological Society's collec- 

 tion, is now decided to be the young of Mueller's 

 Parrakeet. 



I have found no published field notes relating to this 

 bird The Zoological Society received its first speci- 



(adult) in 1857 by presentation; the first young 

 specimen was purchased in 1868, and the following year 

 adult and young were secured together ; others have 

 been added since that date. Russ says that it is not 

 rare in the market, but little admired. Dr. Slaten 

 brought home twenty head. Price when freshly im- 

 ported and rough 20, 30 to 55 marks for a specimen. 



EVERETT'S PARRAKEET (Tanygnatlius everetti). 



Green; neck slightly yellowish; interscapular region 

 darker, with blue edges to the feathers ; lower back and 

 rump deep cobalt-blue ; upper tail- coverts more or less 

 edged with blue ; smaller upper wing-coverts edged with 

 blue near bend of wing ; all the others and the secon- 

 daries edged with yellowish-green ; primary.- co verta 

 tinged \vith blue ; tail with paler tip ; head grass-green ; 

 under-parts paler yellowish-green ; under wing-coverts 

 indistinctly edged with yellowish-green ; tail below 

 golden olive-yellow. Female not differentiated. Hab., 

 " Philippine* Islands, Samar, fanay, and Mindanao" 

 (Salvadori). 



A single example of this rare Parrakeet was im- 

 ported by the late Mr. Joseph Abrahams in 1882 (cf. 

 Russ, "Handbuch," p. 226). 



We now pass on to a group much better known to 

 aviculturists the Ring-necked Parrakeets and allies 

 (Paheorni*) birds in their wild state most destructive 

 to orchards and gardens, especially where peas are 

 grown for food.* In captivity they should be fed 

 upon canary, oats, and hemp ; nuts in winter, peas in 

 the pod in' summer, and any ripe fruit that may be 

 available daily. 



ClNGHALFSF. ALEXANDRINE PARRAKEET 



(Palocornis eupatria). 



Above grass-green ; wings darker green ; a dark-red 

 patch on the secondary wing-coverts ; central tail 

 feathers green at base, then changing to blue, and 

 yellowish at tips ; forehead and lores brighter green : 

 a blackish stripe from nostrils to eye ; back of head 

 and cheeks tinged with greyish-blue ; a broad black 

 stripe from beak downwards and across sides of neck, 

 where it meets a rose-coloured collar round back of 

 neck ; under surface dingy-green, excepting on abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts, which are brighter ; greater 

 under wing-coverts and flights below slate-grey ; tail 

 below yellowish ; beak deep cherry-red, paler on lower 

 mandible, yellowish at tip ; feet sap-green or leaden- 

 grey ; irides pale yellow, with greyish inner circle : 

 eyelid dull-reddish. Female rather smaller ; without 

 black stripe from beak round neck, and rose collar. 

 Hab.. Ceylon. 



Legge ("Birds of Ceylon," Vol. I., p. 170) says : 

 "Large colonies of this species take up their abode in 

 districts where cocoanut cultivation borders on forests 

 and wild jungle, which afford an abundance of fruit- 

 bearing trees, on the berries of which the Alexandrine 

 Parrakeet subsists. It is also found in openly-timbered 

 country and in forests. It roosts in considerable 

 numbers in cocoanut groves, often close to a village, 

 pouring in about half an hour before sunset in small 

 swiftly-flying parties from all directions, which, as 

 their numbers increase towards the time for roosting. 

 create a deafening noise in the excitement of choosing 

 or finding their accustomed quarters. The fronds of the 

 cocoanut afford them a favourite perch, on which they 

 sleep huddled together in rows. At daybreak the vast 

 crowd is a^'aiii astir, and after much ado, flying from 



* Aly lir.ithrr ti'lte niip that t:ho <-po<VI with which M 

 flnok of tli nipty tin- pods in a row of 



nply a- to 11 idling. 



