THE tKI.LOW-tflNGED PARROT. 133 



Account of a tdme one. 



continues silent; and never prattles well except 

 when it enjoys liberty. 



" In its cheerful days it is affectionate, receives 

 and returns caresses, and listens and obeys; but 

 a peevish fit often interrupts this harmony. It 

 seems affected by the change of weather, and be- 

 comes silent ; the way to re-animate it is to sing 

 beside it, and it then strives by its noisy screams 

 to surpass the voice which excites it. It is fond 

 of children ; in which respect it differs from most 

 other parrots. It contracts a predilection for 

 some of them, and suffers them to handle and 

 carry it; it caresses them, and if any person then 

 touch them, it bites at him fiercely. If its fa- 

 vourite children leave it, it is unhappy, follows, 

 them, and calls loudly after them. During moult- 

 ing, it is much reduced, and seems to endure 

 great pain; and this state lasts nearly three 

 months. 



" The food! commonly given him consists of 

 hemp-seed, nuts, fruits of every kind, and bread 

 soaked in wine ; he would prefer meat, but that 

 kind of aliment has been found to make him dull 

 and heavy, and to cause his feathers to drop off 

 after some time. It has likewise been observed, 

 that he keeps hisfood in a kind of pouch, from 

 which he afterwards throws it up ia the same 

 manner as ruminating animals." 



