PARRAQUETS. 125 



in the isame way. In time of dano-er the old birds defend their progeny vigorously, 

 and should the enemy prove too strong to be successfully resisted by one, other 

 parrots come up to their assistance, and, joining forces, either kill or put the 

 aggressor to flight. The grey parrot delights to dwell in companies ; many nests 

 are found within a few feet of each other, and often in one tree two or more holes 

 may be seen occupied by hatching pairs. The young birds are covered with a long 

 and fluffy down, which afterwards, when moulting, falls ofl! Their first plumage 

 is darker, and the iris dark grey, instead of pale yellow. They leave the nest 

 when about four weeks old, but may be seen looking outside the hole some time 

 before they are able to fly." In captivity this parrot is the best of talkers ; and, 

 did space permit, many interesting anecdotes might be quoted relative to this 

 accomplishment. Contrary to what usually prevails among higher bipeds, the 

 male is commonly the more voluble and fluent speaker of the two, although the 

 female jDronounces her words more distinctly. Like most parrots, this species 

 attains a great age, and there seems no doubt that examples have been kept in 

 captivity for periods of between sixty and eighty years. Whether, however, they 

 have lived in this state for upwards of a century, as reported, seems doubtful. 

 The anecdote of the old lady of eighty, who purchased a parrot with the view 

 of testing by experiment the truth of such report, is probably well known to 

 our readers. 



Five peculiar parrots inhabitinp: Madaijascar and certain neiefh- 



bouring islands, constitute a genus easily recognised by their black 



or lilackish brown plumage, which gives them at a distance somewhat the 



appearance of crows. The region round the eye is naked, the lore also partially 



bare, and the whitish bill somewhat thickened and swollen. The greater vasa 



(Coracopsis vasa) attains a length of about 20 inches. Although common in their 



native islands, very little is known of the habits of these parrots in the wild state. 



The few that are brought to Europe are readily tamed, and soon learn to talk. 



New Guinea This species (Basypterus perqueti) is distinguished from its 



Black Parrot. Malagasy allies by its longer and shallower beak, and the larger 



amount of bare skin on the sides of the face. The general sable hue is relieved 



by a red band on either side of the back of the head ; while the under wing-coverts 



are likewise red. 



The Parraquet Group. 



Subfamily I*AL.E()RXiTnix2E. 



The true parra(}uets, together with the love-birds and certain other allied 

 forms, constitute a fifth subfamily, confined to the Eastern Hemisphere, but exceed- 

 ingly diflicult to define from external characters. All of them difler, however, from 

 the meml:)ers of the foregoing groups, except the jiigmy parrots, by certain 

 peculiarities connected with the course of the carotid arteries. As a rule, the 

 females are markedly distinct fi-om the males, which, with the exception of the 

 parrotlets, is not the case in the preceding groups ; the tail-feathers are frequently 

 pointed ; and the sides of the head are either completely feathered, or only naked 

 just round the eyes. The bill is often very strong, and frt'<[Uently, especially its 



