THE TYPICAL PARROTS. 157 



provide for ; as most people must have observed, they 

 crack all sorts of grain before eating it, and generally eat 

 very slowly, like the Finches. No species of Parrot has as 

 yet been thoroughly domesticated, though several are 

 bred ; but no one, however, he and she may object to 

 keeping birds captive, need feel qualms of conscience 

 about Parrots, for they are the most destructive of all 

 birds to field and garden crops, and would have to be killed 

 down if not caught for caging. The Parrots are divided 

 into several families, examples of three of which are con- 

 stantly to be had in India. 



THE TYPICAL PARROTS. 



The Typical Parrots form the largest family, such species 

 as the well-known Grey Parrot of India, the Amazons and 

 Macaws of America, and all our Indian Parrots, belonging 

 to it. The small long-tailed kinds are called Parakeets 

 or Parroquets. The Parrots of this family are hardly 

 ever crested, nor do they have a brush tongue. They 

 feed both on fruit and grain, and should only receive such 

 food in captivity, sop or other soft food being avoided. 



THE COMMON INDIAN OR ROSE-RINGED PARAKEET 

 (Paloeomis torquatus). This well-known bird, called 

 Lybar Tola in Hindustani, and Tiya in Bengali, hardly 

 needs description, but it may be characterized briefly. 

 It is about sixteen inches long, about ten of which belong 

 to the tail ; in colour it is green with a red bill and white 

 eyes. The male has a black throat, the black running a 

 little way on each side to join a rose-pink collar which 

 extends round the back of the neck. 



