THE WHISKERED PARROT. 61 



colour of sulphur. The rump and part round the vent are of 

 parrot green, the long lower coverts of the tail crimson, edged 

 with greenish yellow ; the knee bands have a shade of sky 

 blue. The under part of the body is of a brilliant yellow, with 

 some irregular red dashes and spots, which show its relation to 

 the former bird. The base of the tail is green, like the neck 

 of the water-duck ; the rest of the wings and tail are like the 

 male. 



OBSERVATIONS. I have seen several of this superb species, -which he- 

 longed to his Highness the Duke of Meiningen. It is a great pity that 

 they are so wild, timid, and difficult to teach. Their note is a kind of 

 chirping, -which is rarely heard. Their feathers are as loose as the pre- 

 ceding species. They come from Botany Bay, and are very dear. Being 

 more delicate, they require more attention than the other parroquets. 



THE WHISKERED PARROT. 



Psittacus bimaculatus, SPAURMANN ; Perruche a Moustache ; Der Zweyfleckigs 

 Sittich, BECHSTEIN. 



THE length of this very beautiful parrot is fourteen inches, of 

 which the tail measures more than half ; its size is that of the 

 turtle-dove, but very slender. The beak is large, orange- 

 coloured, or pale blood red ; the head of a fine ash colour, tinted 

 with green on the top, and having a narrow black band on the 

 forehead; the part near the eyes is naked, and pale flesh- 

 coloured ; the forehead light yellow ; an almost triangular spot 

 extends from the base of the beak across the cheeks to the 

 throat ; all the top of the body is meadow green, spotted with 

 black. The under part of the body is of a deep rose colour. 



There is a variety of this species with a black beak. 



In the female, or what is supposed to be so, the forehead, 

 the throat, the sides of the head and neck, are pale orange 

 colour ; an oval black streak descends from the corners of the 

 beak towards the throat ; the nape, the top of the neck, the 

 shoulders, back, rump, and upper part of the tail, are meadow 

 green. The breast and belly, to the extremity, are of a fine 

 green. 



OBSERVATIONS. This hird is very docile, amiahle, and talkative. Its 

 mildness is very pleasing, and it is extremely affectionate and caressing. 

 Its cry is " gaie, gaie, gaie." It comes from the Islands of the Southern 

 Ocean and Botany Bay. 



