THE MALAYAN PARROT. 1 17 



open, except in thick groves and orchards. It associates in small flocks, 

 and is remarkable for its rapid flight. It feeds on small fruits and flower- 

 buds, and probably on grain, but I have never detected them in paddy- 

 fields. 



They bear confinement well, and are more frequently caged than any 

 other species of Parrot. When sleeping, they hang from their perch head 

 downwards. 



The eggs, usually three to five in number, are deposited in the hole of 

 a tree or of a branch at a considerable height from the ground. Capt. 

 Bingham found the nest in Tenasserim in February. 



Subfamily PSITTACIN^l. 



Genus PSITTINUS, Bl. 



528. PSITTINUS INCERTUS. 

 THE MALAYAN PARROT. 



Psittacus incertus, Shaw, Nat. Misc. xviii. pi. 769. Psittacus malaccensis, 

 Lath. 2nd. Orn. i. p. 130 ; Psittacula incerta, Finsch, Die Papnyeien, ii. p. (312. 

 Psittinus incertus, Sakad. Ucc. Born. p. 25 ; BL 8f Wald. B. Burm. p. 58 ; 

 Tweedd. Ibis, 1877, p. 292; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. pp. 120, 500; Hume, S. F. 

 viii. p. 87. 



Description. Male. Forehead, crown and nape, rump and upper tail- 

 coverts violet-blue, duller on the nape ; sides of the head and cheeks dull 

 brownish blue; back and scapulars blackish brown, the edges of the 

 feathers paler ; a patch of deep crimson on the lesser wing-coverts ; all the 

 other coverts and tertiaries green, edged with yellow; primary-coverts 

 blue ; primaries and secondaries brown on the inner webs, green on the 

 outer ones and tips ; central tail-feathers green, the others yellow ; under 

 plumage dull sordid yellow ; the centre of the abdomen blue ; the thighs 

 and under tail-coverts green tipped with blue ; under wing-coverts and 

 auxiliaries bright crimson. 



The female has the forehead and crown greenish brown, the feathers 

 Fringed with rufous; back and scapulars green, edged paler; rump blue, 

 fringed with green ; upper tail-coverts green ; lores and sides of the head 

 yellowish brown, with dark shafts; the whole under plumage green; 

 wings and tail as in the male. Both the male and female vary a good 

 deal in coloration in minor details ; the above description will, however, 

 always enable the birds to be identified. 



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