on the Breeding of the Long-billed Parrakeet.



25



moonlight—is on the border of the lake Llanquihue, in more or less

open country, and I saw no more parrakeets there.


From Puerto Octay I crossed to Puerto Yaras, and continuing

to travel eastwards towards the Cordilleras the Los Andes, I reached

Casa Pangui after two days, which is near the foot of the Tronador

Glacier. Here again I met numerous flocks of this parrakeet, and

as I saw them perch on lower trees than they had done before I had

a better view of them.


Five or six days later found me at Puerto Montt, and riding

westwards from this place I traversed some splendid woods in which

enormous Urmus trees (Eucryphia cordifolia ) were particularly

numerous. These woods were full of Long-billed Parrakeets, which

screamed loudly and were very active, flying about in small flocks or

perching on the tops of the giant trees. It is probable that these

birds were feeding on the seeds of the Urmus trees which look like a

thin small olive, and no doubt they found any amount of seeds and

berries in those woods. I never saw the birds on the ground, and

it seems that they liked to perch as high as they could. I was told

that the inhabitants of Puerto Montt go out on Sundays to try and

shoot the parrakeets and that they found them good eating !


Having returned to Puerto Yaras, I spent the night there and

decided to go north again next morning by a steamer which was to

take me to Puerto Octay, from which place I would ride to Osorno

to join the railroad there. An hour before I left I noticed near the

inn a tame Long-billed Parrakeet, which, with stunted wings and

tail but looking rather contented, was sitting on a railing in front

of a small house. The bird was quite tame, and when the old

woman who inhabited the house saw that I noticed it, she at once

offered it to me for sale for a few pesos, and, rather foolishly, un¬

mindful of all the miles that separated me from home, I could not

resist the temptation to buy the bird. I carried him to the inn in

my hand, and as no such a thing as a cage was to be got anywhere

I with great difficulty obtained a small box to put him in. This was

just done when I had to go on board the steamer with all my

belongings.


In the evening we reached Puerto Octay, having to travel on

the following morning on horse-back to Osorno, whilst the heavy



