I'.M:* 223 



in eastern Plnriilit, infiiriimiiini was received of their presence near the 

 headwaters of the Sebastian Ki\ -r. a -nmll stream flowing into th 

 Indian Ilivi-r n-nr Miceo, ami I lit once started for this locality. The 

 ft>ll wing notes made mi this trip an- from the Abstract of the Pro- 

 ,-s of the l.inna-an Society of New York city, No. 2, 1890, pp. 5, 6. 

 Sine,, they were written the Paroquet has been found to be a locally 

 iiuimioii bird in the unsettled parts of Brevard, Osccola, Polk, De Soto, 

 and Iade Counties. 



tale on the afternoon of our arrival we started a flock of seven 

 Paroquets from a prodnetive patch of the thistles (Cirxium lecontei) 

 which proved to IK- tlieir favorite food. Kvidently their meal was 

 finished and they were ready to retire, for they darted like startled 

 Doves through the pities twi>ting and turning in every direction, and 

 flying with such rapidity they were soon lost to view, the ring of their 

 sharp, rolling call alone furnishing proof it was not all a vision. Two 

 days passed before I again met I'muii-itx, and this time to better ad- 

 vantage. It was a wet and drizzling morning when we found a flock 

 of six birds feeding on thistles at the edge of a " prairie." Perched on 

 the leafless branches of the tree before us, their brilliant green plum- 

 age showed to the best advantage. Several were skillfully dissecting 

 the thistles they held in their feet, biting out the milky seed while the 

 released fluffy down floated away beneath them. There was a sound 

 of suppressed conversation ; half-articulate calls. We were only par- 

 tially concealed behind a Migfaboriag tree, still they showed no great 

 alarm at our presence ; curiosity was apparently the dominant feeling. 

 One of the three birds which fell at our fire was but slightly wounded, 

 a single shot passing through the elbow, and his loud outcries soon 

 recalled his companions a habit which has cost thousands of them 

 their lives, and in part, at least, accounts for the rapidity of their ex- 

 termination and one alone of this flock escaped. 



There was evident regularity in the habits of the birds we after- 

 ward olserved in all alxmt fifty, in flocks of from six to twenty. At 

 an early hour they left their roost in the " hummock " bordering the 

 river and passed out into the pines to feed, always, so far as I ob- 

 servi-d, st-Wting thistle patches, and eating the seeds only when in the 

 milky stage. At about ten o'clock they returned to the "hummock" 

 and apparently to some favorite tree, here to pass the rest of the morn- 

 ing and early afternoon, when they again started out to f.-r.l. return- 

 ing to t!i !><>-( JIIM U-fore sunset. A flock of these birds feeding 

 among the thistles is a most In-autiftil and animated sight; one is 

 almost {MTMiadcd not to disturb them. There is constant movement 

 as they fly from plant to plant, or. when securing thistles, they fly with 

 hem in their bill- ton n, laboring tree, there to diswt them at their 



