230 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



The Sub-Family, PSITTACIN^E, or Parrots, 



have the bill more or less large, broad at the base, and the 



sides compressed, with the culmen much arched to the tip, 



is acute and prolonged, the lateral margins dentated 



-ie nostrils basal, lateral, and rounded ; the 



or less long and pointed ; the tail usually short 



and squared ; the tarsi short, and covered with small scales ; 



459, Psiifcacus Levaillantii, Latham ; P. Fia- 



miniceps, Bechst. ; P. Fuscicollis, Kuhl ; P. Infus- 

 catus, Shaw, Vol. VIII., p. 523 ; Pionus Levaillantii, 

 Wagl. Mon. Psitt. ; Psittacus Robustus, Gmel. ; P. 

 Gaffer, Licht. ; Piroquet a F 'ranges Souci, Le Vail., 

 Tab. 130 arid 131. 



HEAD, neck, and throat, brownish green ; wings, and back 

 between the shoulders, dark-green ; back and rump, bright 

 grass green ; belly, thighs, and under tail-coverts the same ; 

 upper portion of outer edge of wing, and knees, brilliant 

 orange- red ; between the eye and the bill a black spot. 

 Length, 12"; wing, 8"; tail, 3" 6'". 



Inhabits the forests of the Eastern frontier, the Knysna, and the 

 Zuurberg. Le Vaillant states that they breed in hollow trees, and lay 

 four white eggs, about the size of those of pigeons. It is apparently a 

 scarce bird, arid rather difficult to obtain, as but few specimens have 

 reached my hands : these have all been from the "Enysna and the 

 forests of the Eastern frontier seaboard. 



Genus PSITTACULA, Brissoa. 



Bill large, rather compressed at the sides, with the culmen 

 much arched to the tip, which is prolonged and acute ; the 

 lateral margins festooned ; the nostrils basal, lateral, rounded ; 

 wings reaching to the end of the tail, and pointed; with the 

 first and second quills nearly equal and longest ; tail short 

 and even, with the ends of the feathers truncated or pointed ; 

 tarsi very short, and covered with small scales ; toes long, 

 with the lateral outer toes equal, and all covered with small 

 scales. 



* Many parrots have besn accidentally introduced into South Africa in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Cape Town, having escaped from confinement. Some of these are now 

 breeding here : among them may be mentioned Palaornia Torquatus. 



