PARROTS. 245 



except a small quantity at the bottom, on which 

 the eggs are laid, and the young ones afterwards 

 repose. 



It was related to me, that formerly such mul- 

 titudes of parrots would beset a field of grain, as 

 to oblige a settler to employ a number of men 

 expressly to drive them away ; and even then it 

 was done with difficulty. This is now rare : 

 which circumstance is not attributed to any de- 

 population of the " Polly" tribe, but from cultiva- 

 tion having become more extended ; the parrot 

 population being now divided in flocks about 

 the different fields, when formerly they made 

 their formidable attacks upon one or two only, 

 and then in such numbers, that, left undisturbed 

 for only a few hours, it would suffice to destroy 

 the hopes of the settler, at all events for that 

 season. It was computed that thirty or forty 

 thousand of these birds were about the field at 

 one time ; and from what I saw, I do not con- 

 sider the numbers were exaggerated. It is not 

 only ripe grain that suffers from them, but, when 

 it commences to vegetate, they assemble in im- 

 mense flocks, to root up and devour it. The 

 Loris are said to migrate from the Yas country in 

 the summer, returning in the winter season : 

 whether for food, or from what cause I could not 

 ascertain. 



