43S Canaries and Cage-Birds. 



endured for years, but I feel sure that some day she will be so unreasonable as to die, without 

 any palpable reason, as several of her mates did long ago. Meantime she feeds on canary- 

 seed and millet, with a little sponge-cake daily. 



BEAUTIFUL PARRAKEET {Psepholus pulcherrimus), AusiitALlA. 



(Illustration drawn from specimens belonging to Mr. Jas. Abrahams.) 



Psittacus piikkerrimm (Russ), Flalycei-cus piilcherrimus, Eiiphana pulcherrima. English dealers' name — Paradise Parrakeet. 



German name — " Paradies Sittich." 



There cannot be two opinions that the Paradise Parrakeet is the most beautiful of all the 

 Parrakeets, and it would be difficult to describe in words the splendour and variety of 

 colours displayed in his plumage. As a male bird only attains perfection in his third year, 

 and young males are often mistaken for hen-birds, Mr. Rutledge has drawn a pair of old 

 Paradise Parrakeets and a half mature male, about one and a half or two years old. It will be 

 seen that the female can be readily distinguished. 



Beyond referring to what I have stated on page 437, I cannot, in spite of many years' 

 observation, give any useful hints as to their keep. Once I had what I thought to be the most 

 beautiful pair which could be seen, and I was anxious to procure a second hen, as the pair did 

 not seem inclined to breed. In course of time I picked a good hen out of a number just 

 arrived. The excitement of the male was great when I introduced the new hen. He spread 

 his wings, and called and bowed, and all at once fell dead off his perch. Another time I 

 introduced a male very slowly and cautiously, bringing his cage a little nearer each day ; but 

 he presently declined his food, and soon died of exhaustion. An opportunity to buy a pair 

 very cheap led me to try an open-air aviary, but the first chilly night was the death 

 of that pair. I could give numerous other examples, and yet one female lived in my aviary 

 for years. Dr. Russ had a pair during four years, and a friend of mine at Baden-Baden is 

 determined to be the first to breed these Parrakeets at some future time. So far my friend has 

 succeeded only in obtaining eggs ; which anyhow is more than any one else has achieved. 



Dr. Russ observed in his aviary that the Paradise Parrakeets were fond of hemp-seed, and 

 ate fresh ants' eggs, mealworms, and egg-food, eating but little canary and millet, whilst I fed 

 mine on canary-seed, millet in the ear, and groundsel. An Australian bird-catcher informs me 

 that the Beautiful Parrakeets build their nests in forsaken ant-hills, into which they burrow a 

 hole. Can this be correct } 



BARRABAND'S PARRAKEET (Polytelis Barrabandi), New South Walus. 

 Psittacus Barrabandi or rosaceus (Russ), Palicornis Barrabandi, Palisornis ro.aceus, Platycerciis rosacens, Platycercm 

 Barrabandi, Barrabandius 7-osaceiis, English dealers' name — Cut-tluoat Parrakeet, or Green-leek Parrakeet. German 

 name. — "Schild Sittich." 



This Parrakeet, like the two preceding, is said to live on the bloom of the wattle shrub 

 during part of the year, but he does not appear to be quite as delicate as the Paradise 

 or Many-coloured, although I have gathered costly experience by seeing Barrabands fall in 

 fits from their perch for very trivial causes. A fit means either immediate death or partial 

 paralysis, and I can only suggest a constant supply of green food and a great variety of 

 seeds as a preventive. The bird will endure a low temperature without harm or inconvenience, 

 but no amateur has yet come near breeding this species. Bright green body-colour, orange- 

 yellow face and throat, the latter encircled by a broad band of crimson, are the leading 

 characteristics of the male Green-leek's plumage. The female is simply green, without orange 

 or crimson. In size the birds exceed that of the well-known common Ring-ncckcd Parrakeet. 



