124 



PARROTS. 



the rather compressed and lengthened bill, and by the papillas covering the naked 

 portions of the face. The general colour of the plumage is ashy, with a bright 

 red tail. The range of this species extends from the Congo and Guinea coast 

 across Equatorial Africa to the east of Lake Nyasa. In Liberia and lower Sierra 

 Leone it is replaced by F. timneh, distinguished by its dark grey plumage, and 

 the dark red of the tail. The best account extant of the liabits of the grey 

 parrot in its wild state is one by Mr. J. G. Keulemans, who had an opportunity of 

 studying these birds during a long residence on Prince's Island, where they 

 especially frequent a hill, known as the Pico do Papagaio. Mr. Keulemans writes 



THE GREY PARROT (| nat. size) 



that " these parrots are always found in flocks which go about the island during 

 the day, returning to their own appointed place on the mountain in the evening to 

 roost. Their food consists of fruits, such as the palm-nut, the avocat, the banana, 

 goyave, mango, and many other fruits of a smaller kind, but they always give 

 the preference to the palm-nuts. Tliey drink but little, and as no water is found 

 on the Pico, they must obtain what they require during the day on the lowland. 

 They make no nest, but deposit their eggs (which are from two to four in numbei-) 

 on the bottom of the hole. The eggs are in size, sliape, and colour similar to those 

 of the wood-pigeon ; when unblown they are of a pinkish hue, which may be owing 

 to the thinness of the shell. Botli birds take it by turns to sit, and while one is 

 sitting the other often comes and feeds it out of its crop. The young ones are fed 



