410 THE EINGED PARRAKEET. 



mile. They are very loquacious birds, and are often discovered through 

 their perpetual chattering. 



When settling itself to sleep the Toucan packs itself up in a very 

 systematic manner, supporting its huge beak by resting it on its back 

 and tucking it completely among the feathers, while it doubles its tail 

 across its back, just as if it moved on a spring hinge. So completely 

 is the bill hidden among the feathers that hardly a trace of it is visible, 

 in spite of its great size and bright color, and the bird when sleeping 

 looks like a great baU of loose feathers. 



PARROTS. 



The general form of the Parrots is too well known to need descrip- 

 tion. AH birds belonging to this large and splendid group can be 

 recognized by the shape of their beaks, which are large, and have the 

 upper mandible extensively curved and hanging far over the lower; 

 in some species the upper mandible is of extraordinary length. The 

 tongue is short, thick, and fleshy, and the structure of this member 

 aids the bird in no slight degree in its singular powers of articulation. 

 The wings and tail are generally long, and in some species, such as the 

 Macaws, the tail is of very great length, while in most of the Parra- 

 keets it is longer than the body. 



The genus Palseornis, of which the Ringed Parrakeet is an 

 excellent example, is a very extensive one, and has representatives in 

 almost every hot portion of the world, even including Australia. 



The Ringed Parrakeet is found in both Africa and Asia, the only 

 difference perceptible between the individuals brought from the two 

 continents being that the Asiatic species is rather larger than its African 

 relative. It has long been the favorite of hiau as a caged bird, and 

 is one of the species to which such frequent reference is made by the 

 ancient writers, the other species being the Alexandrine Ringed Parra- 

 keet (Pakeoniis Alexandrl). 



This species of Parrakeet is not very good at talking, though it can 

 learn to repeat a few words, and is very apt at communicating its own 

 ideas by a language of gestures and information especially its own. It 

 is, however, very docile, and will soon learn any lesson that may be 

 imposed, even that most difficult task to a Parrot— remaining silent 

 while any one is speaking. 



The general color of this species is grass-green, variegated in the 

 adult male as follows : The feathers of the forehead are light green, 

 which take a bluish tinge as they approach the crown and nape of the 

 neck, where they are of a lovely purple blue. Just below the purple 

 runs a narrow band of rose-color, and immediately below the rosy line 

 is a streak of black, which is narrow toward the back of the neck, but 



