256 
was placed in a slight hollow on the open plain near a river, and 
contained two eggs, of a slight greenish-grey tint spotted with 
brown, chiefly at the larger end.” 
Tribe ScaNnsorEs. 
Family Psrrracip&. 
Sub-family MacrocercIn&. 
Genus PaLzornIs. 
PaLZoRNIs TORQUATUS, Vigors. 
The Red-ringed Parrakeet is by far the most common of its tribe 
throughout Western India, as probably throughout that continent. 
They associate in large flocks, dog much injury to fruit-trees and 
crops of grain. As the grain-crops ripen, they frequent the trees in 
the neighbourhood, whence they make descents on the fields, retiring 
to them with the heads of the grain plants, to eat at their leisure. 
As far as my observations go, they prefer carrying off the ears of 
the plant to eating the grain in the field. On the approach of night 
they retire in large flocks to the shelter of thick mango and other 
trees. This Parrakeet breeds during the month of March, in holes 
in buildings and trees, laying three or four eggs, of a pure white 
colour, 1,3,ths of an inch in length by 1 inch in width. 
Patzornis ALEXANDRI. LARGE RED-RINGED PARRAKEET. 
I have never met with this large species, but I see that Dr. Jerdon 
mentions having obtained four young ones from a hole in a tree, in 
the month of December. 
PALHORNIS BENGALENSIS. RED-HEADED or PLUM-HEADED 
PARRAKEET. 
I have had many opportunities of watching and closely obser- 
ving the habits of these handsome little parrakeets, and am con- 
vineed that they are one and the same bird, the red-head being the 
mark of an advanced, if not mature plumage. In young birds, the 
plum-colour of the head is much mixed with green, the former 
colour becoming decided as the birds grow older, and this again 
giving way to the red head-dress. I have met with these birds in 
the woody ravines and recesses amongst the lower ranges of hills in 
the Deccan, also in the thickly-wooded garden-land near the canton- 
ments of Ahmednuggur. In this latter spot I have often watched 
them in the hope of securing one of the richly-coloured red-headed 
birds. They fly in flocks like Pal@ornis torquatus, visiting the grain- 
fields, and carrying off the ears to the neighbouring trees. Their 
cry is not so loud and harsh as that of their larger brethren, and 
they may thus be distinguished when not seen. I scarcely ever saw 
more than two or three red-headed birds amongst a flock of plum- 
heads. I have not met with the nest or eggs of this species, but 
