66 



THE LITTLE BLUE AND GREEN PARRAKEET. 



Tsittacua passerinus, Linn-EUs ; La Perruche passerine et^, ou Toui ^te, Bctffon ; 

 Dcr Sperlmgsparkit, Bechstein. 



Its size very little exceeds that of tlie sparrow. A beau- 

 tiful light green is the predominant colour of its plumage ; hut 

 the rump is blue, the large wing-coverts are the same ; the 

 small ones, again, are green. The beak, the membrane at the 

 l)ase, the circle of the eyes, and the feet, are often orange ; it 

 sometimes varies, however, to yellow, ash colour, and flesh 

 colour. 



Observations. — This species is as social and affectionate as the pre- 

 eetlirig, but mucli more rare and dear. It is a native of Brazil, and can- 

 not speak. It must be fed on canary eeed, millet, and hemp. 



THE GREY- BREASTED PARROT. 



FsiUacns miiriiius, LiNN-^vUS ; La Perruche k poilrine grise, Bupfon^ Der 

 grluibruitige Sitticli, BjiCHstein. 



This pretty parrot, distinguished by its silvery grey colour, 

 is about the size of a turtle-dove. Its ruffling the feathers of 

 its head, ])avticularly on the cheeks, added to the smallness 

 and peculiar way in wliich it holds its biU, which is always 

 buried in its breast, gives it somewhat the appearance of a 

 small screech owl. Its length is ten inches, of which the 

 wedge- sha]ied tail measures half. The beak is three-quarters 

 of an incli in length, pearl grey, or whitish. The forehead, to 

 about the middle of the top of the head, the cheeks, throat, 

 breast, and half the belly are of a light silvery grey, with 

 sliados ap])earing like grey stripes ; the upper part of the body 

 and tail are of a brilliant siskin green. 



OcsERVsTJONs. — Tliis spccics is very mild, speaks but little, and even 

 seems to be of a melancholy tuin. Its call, •which is *' keirshe''' is lojid 

 and sonorous It is the same species which is mentioned in the Travels 

 of Bougainville, by Pernetty. " We found it," says he, " at Montevideo, 

 where our sailors bought several at two piastres a-piccc. These birds 

 vcre very tame and harmless ; they aoon learnt to speak, and became so 

 fond of the men that they were never easy when away from them." The 

 general opinion ie, that they will not live more than a year and a half if 



