The Zoologist — October, 1871. 2777 



became obliterated : tbis loss of track brought me to a standstill. I was 

 alone and bad no knowledge of the way ; but being unwilling to return, 

 having got thus far, I looked about in hopes of discovering in this dense 

 tarigle some place through which I might force a passage, but in vain : on 

 all sides the Lianos and other climbing plants grew so thicldy, and presented 

 such a high impenetrable barrier, that I felt to attempt to proceed further 

 without a guide would be unsafe, and at once decided to retrace ray steps 

 and obtain the assistance of a native. From surrounding appearances I was 

 convinced that many parrots were breeding there already, and the idea of 

 giving up a trip that promised such interesting results was not to be 

 thought of. I hastened back, and soon reached my house again. Having 

 secured the aid of a native, who assured me that he was able to make his 

 way to the place and find his way back, I set out again the same morning, 

 with the hope that this time my wish to reach the abode of the parrots 

 would be realized. 



" At nine o'clock we started, and after a very fatiguing journey, during 

 which we had in many places literally to cut our way through the dense 

 undergrowth, reached one of the places frequented by the grey parrots. My 

 gratification at this moment was extreme. What should be done ? §hoot 

 as many of the old birds as presented themselves, or seek out their nests 

 and take the young ones home? "We decided to take the young birds. 

 From the noise we knew that many parrots were in our vicinity : on all 

 sides their joyful whistling resounded, and the falling of pits, or husks, and 

 the stones of fruits, sufficiently proved that many were concealed in the 

 trees about us. Up to this time we had not seen any ; they kept themselves 

 so well hidden among the leaves that we could not get sight of them. 

 Thus they remained for some little time, when at last one came down, and 

 I could not restrain the temptation to shoot it. At the discharge of the 

 gun a multitude suddenly burst from their concealment and dispersed with 

 deafening screams. Picking up my prize we walked cautiously forwards 

 until we obseiwed at a distance in front of us another ti'oop — or it might 

 have been the one we had disturbed — on the highest branches of an 

 exceedingly large tree. In half an hour we reached the spot, where we 

 found numbers of large trees with foliage so thick that we could not see 

 any parrots. While waiting and eagerly watching we again heard the 

 falling of empty husks, and at the same time obsei'ved a movement among 

 the leaves of a palm tree. On closer inspection we could see our birds, and 

 as we had no desire to cause another parrot revolution we left them to eat 

 their palm-nuts in peace. It being now about five o'clock in the afternoon, 

 and the sun setting at six, we had only an hour left at our disposal to seek 

 after the nests. My companion being more likely, from his experience, to spy 

 out the nests more quickly than myself, I set him to inspect the trees within 

 a short circuit, while I remained at that spot, and arranged that he should 



