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after the other, of digestive troubles. And I have had other

specimens, which I have kept for twelve months or so, but then

they have died. They have never been kept very long in the

Zoological Gardens. I cannot but think they would live longer,

if we knew how to feed them correctly.


I think I have now run over the kinds of parrots I have

had, and that are most likely to come into the hands of my

readers, but if any particular difficulty should arise, I am always

willing to do my best in the way of advice. But I can only say

what I have said before, that the longer I live, the more the small¬

ness of our knowledge about birds’ wants and birds’ diseases

strikes me.


[Since writing- the above, Mr. Farrar has told us that he gives his Barrabands noth¬

ing but hemp and canary. I certainly have always found bread and water sops a great

help to the old birds when they are rearing young.—F. G. D.]



THE MASKED PARRAKEET.


(Pyrrhnlopsis personataJ.


By E. E. Smith.


I do not think this Parrakeet has been mentioned in the

Avicultural Magazine, so I thought a few remarks on this

eminently handsome and interesting bird might be worthy of a

place amongst the series of “ Rare Foriegn Birds” which have

appeared at various times ; though not so rare as some which

have been described, it is a bird which is rarely offered for sale.


The size of P. personata is about equal to the well-known

King Parrakeet, though possibly a shade longer. The plumage

is for the most part bright green, the feathers being of a hairy

texture and with a lustre approaching that of the Resplendent

Trogon ; the face to the back of the eyes is black, so are the

beak and tail; the feet are very dark grey, and the flight-feathers

of the wings dark blue ; the eyes bright orange, and the bell}'"

yellow, deeper in colour near the vent.


This bird has the power of dilating and contracting the

pupil of the eye, which it always does when excited. The

specimen in my possession is very tame, and a great favourite.

I feed him on hemp, canary, and oats, with all sorts of fruit, and

plenty of green food ; he is very fond of twigs of various trees

with the bark left on.


For the most part he is a very quiet bird; but at dusk

every evening he hangs head downwards from the top of his

cage and gives several hoarse Raven-like croaks, so startling



