Blue-Bonnet and Red-Rumped Parrakeet. 437 



A very interesting and charming bird is the next: 



THE BLUE-BONNET PARRAKEET {Psephotus hmmatogasier), Australia. 



(Illustration drawn from live specimen at the Zoological Gardens, London.) 



Psittacus hcematogasler (Russ), Platycercus hamatogaster, Psephotus humatorrhous, Eupheina hamatogasler. English dealers' 



name — Blue-bonnet Parrakeet. German name — " Blutbauchsittich." 



I do not know a more pleasing Parrakeet than the Blue Bonnet, whom I used to consider 

 the clown of a collection of Parrakeets I had at one time. A pair of these birds used to play 

 together like kittens, rolling over and over in the sand, or sitting on the perches and cawing to 

 each other in the most amusing manner. Whenever their cage was fresh sanded, they picked 

 out all the small stones, and cleverly arranged them in a row on a ledge in their cage. This 

 rare Parrakeet is probably one of the most intelligent of all Australian Parrots, although I have 

 not heard that any have learned to talk, nor do any appear to have been bred. 



Their food consists chiefly of canary-seed, millet, oats, and Indian corn. Mine were 

 exceedingly fond of oats. Male and female very similar ; the plumage of the female is sup- 

 posed to be less bright. 



BLOOD-RUMPED PARRAKEET {Psephotus hamatonotus), Australia. 



(Illustration drawn from specimens lent by Mr. Jas. Abrahams and Mr. Chas. Jamrach.) 



Psittacus !it?inatncitiis (Russ), Eupheina hamatonota. English dealers' name— Blood-rump. German name — " Rothrumpf," or 



" Blutrumpf," or " Singsittich." 



This Parrakeet is also one of those imported in very large numbers — very hardy and 

 very easily bred. Undulated Parrakeets, Turquoisines, Cockateels, and Blood-rumps breed 

 about equally well, and much in the same manner. A peculiarity of the Blood-rump is his 

 song, which is quite surprisingly agreeable, and by which he endeavours to attract the attention 

 and gain the affections of his mate. Food, same as other Parrakeets. 



The two next species are well named the Many-coloured and the Beautiful Parrakeet, but they 

 have caused more disappointment and loss to amateurs than all the other Parrakeets together. 

 To begin with, these birds are rarely obtainable for less than ;^5 a pair, but their wondrous 

 plumage attracts one amateur after another to try his luck, and the result is generally the 

 same — either early death or a quite unexpected fit just when their owner believes he has 

 achieved a triumph in keeping the bird for a time. 



I have been informed that these Parrakeets live for part of the year on grass and 

 other seeds, but that when the so-called " wattle shrub " is in flower they chiefly feed 

 on its blooms, and that birds caught when feeding on seeds will live, whilst those caught 

 during the flower season will not endure. What may be the European substitute of the 

 Australian wattle shrub blooms has yet to be found out, and will no doubt be discovered ; 

 meanwhile blooming groundsel does duty, and a plentiful daily supply certainly prolongs the 

 life of these splendid Parrakeets in a very extraordinary manner. The Australian wattle 

 shrub is a kind of acacia, and bears a white ball-shaped flower. 



MANY-COLOURED PARRAKEET (Psephotus multicolor), Australia. 



(Illustration drawn from live specimens, the male in the possession of J. C. Marsh, Esq., the female in that of the Author.) 



Psittacus multicolor (Russ), Platycercus multicolor, Euphema multicolor. English dealers' name — Many-coloured Parrakeet. 



German name — " Vielfarbiger Sittich." 



A glance at the illustration will convince the reader that the Many-coloured Parrakeet 

 is one of the most beautiful birds of his tribe. The female in my possession happens to have 



