PARROTS. 199 



form, the grace and elegance of their motions, the 

 beauty of their colours, their great docility, and 

 imitative powers, and their fond attachment to 

 those by whom they were domesticated and treated 

 with kindness. Amid the luxury of Rome, the 

 " Indian Bird " was kept in cages of the most 

 costly materials, nor was any price, however great, 

 deemed extravagant, or beyond its value. 



The naturalists and the poets are eloquent on 

 the varied attractions of these charming birds, de- 

 scanting with admiration on the brilliant emerald 

 plumage, the rosy collar of the neck, and the deep 

 ruby-red hue of the beak. The species with the 

 whole head of a changeable blossom-colour, we 

 may reasonably infer, were unknown to them, for 

 we cannot imagine they would have been silent on 

 so conspicuous a feature of loveliness. Modern 

 Research has made us familiar with some eleven or 

 twelve species, which are as generally favourites 

 with us as with their early classical admirers. 

 They are spread over the Indian continent and 

 Archipelago, from the foot of the Himalaya moun- 

 tains to the northern coasts of Australia. 



The Alexandrine Parroquet has the general 

 plumage of a beautiful green hue ; the collar 

 which adorns the neck is bright red, and a spot of 

 dark purplish red marks the shoulders ; the throat 

 and a band between the eyes are black ; the beak 

 is of a rich ruby tint. The large island of Ceylon, 

 the Taprobane of the ancients, is the principal re- 

 sort of this beautiful species at this day ; and it 

 was from this island that it was first sent to the 

 Macedonian conqueror whose name it bears. In 

 captivity it is an affectionate and engaging bird, 

 courting the notice and caresses of those whom it 



