THE ASH-COLOURED PARROT. 141 



the head, neck, and under part of the body have a border of 

 whitish grey. The rump and lower part of the belly are 

 whitish grey, edged with ash-colour, which gives the whole 

 body a scaly or powdered appearance. The tail is short and 

 scarlet. The male and female resemble one another, and are 

 equally docile. 



Habit of Life. This bird is usually imported from Guinea, 

 where it is brought for sale from the interior of Africa. It is 

 also found in Congo, and on the coast of Angola. 



In confinement it is usually kept in a large bell-shaped cage, 

 provided with a ring. 



Food. In its native country it lives on almost all kinds of 

 fruit and grain, and grows fat on the seeds of the sun-flower, 

 which to man is so violent a purgative. In connnt-ment it 

 will eat whatever is brought to table, but does best when fed on 

 fruit, and bread soaked in milk. .Meat, of which it is fond, 

 produces diarrhoea, and a disease which impels it to pull out 

 its feathers. If well taken care of, it has been known to live 

 to the age of sixty years. 



Breeding. This bird, in a state of nature, makes its nest in 

 hollow trees, and is the only one of the Parrot species which 

 has been known to breed in Europe. BTJFFON mentions a certain 

 M. DE LA PIGEONIERE, of Marmanda, who possessed a pair, which 

 for five or six successive years hatched and reared a brood. The 

 female laid on each occasion four eggs, of which one was 

 always unfruitful. In order to induce them to sit, a small 

 barrel, open at one end, was placed in the room devoted to the 

 purpose ; and outside of this were fixed two small steps, that 

 the male bird might be easily enabled to visit his mate. It 

 was necessary to put on boots before entering the room, as the 

 jealous bird attacked every body who came near his mate, 

 with sharp blows of his beak. Whether old or young, these 

 birds may be easily tamed, though the young ones which have 

 been taken out of the nest as is generally the case with 

 those which are brought to Europe are most docile. 



Diseases. The delicacies often given to these birds, render 

 them especially liable to diseases ; of which swollen feet and 

 gout are among the most common. For these, no certain cure 

 has yet been discovered. They may, however, be easily pre- 

 vented, by keeping the birds clean, and not giving them 

 either meat or confectionary. 



