68 cassell's book of birds. 



always sleep in holes in trees, but in the dry season they prefer the foliage ; leafless trees they 

 consider dangerous. 



Although these birds fly well, their movements on the ground are clumsy, and even their climb- 

 ing very awkward ; their flight is extremely swift, but seems fatiguing; it requires many quick strokes 

 with the wings, and changes into a hovering motion if the bird wishes to alight. Their gait can 

 scarcely be called a walk, but rather a waddle ; the body is swung forward, and the long tail carefully 

 raised that it may not touch the ground. A party of Parrakeets progressing in this manner provokes 

 involuntary laughter, as there is something most comically serious in their movements. 



The Rose-ringed Parrots breed during the African rainy season, which comes with the spring ; at 

 which time the gigantic Adansonias are crowned with their thickest foliage, and the numerous holes 

 in their trunks hidden in the most desirable manner ; here the breeding birds settle in parties, and 

 after some strife about holes, the pairs live quietly together. In those parts of Africa through which 

 we travelled, Europeans shoot these birds, but the natives never molest them with weapons, and only 

 capture them when they have an opportunity of disposing of them alive. Notwithstanding the 

 numbers in which they are found, it is not very easy to procure a specimen, as their cunning deceives 

 even a practised sportsman, and renders his efforts fruitless. After some time, however, we learned 

 to turn their tricks to their own disadvantage ; when we found a party of them in the woods, one 

 of us would creep to the nearest and thickest tree, while another disturbed- that they were on ; the 

 consequence was that the parrots, as they tried to escape, generally fell victims to the marksman 

 who was watching their arrival. 



The natives take the young unfledged birds out of the nest, or surprise the old ones at night 

 in their holes. They are extensively captured in Senegal, and from thence come most of the 

 Rose-ringed Parrakeets that we see in captivity. During the time we spent in Africa, we had many 

 of these birds alive, but never succeeded in becoming very friendly with them ; we gaye them as 

 much freedom as possible, allowed them to fly about a large room, fed them well, and hoped to 

 retain the whole troop ; but we were sadly deceived in our expectations, for they fell murderously 

 upon each other, and the strong ones bit the weak to death ; in most cases they broke the skulls of 

 their victims, and ate their brains, after the manner of our Titmouse (Pants). 



On the other hand, we must own that we have often seen bird-fanciers keep dozens in small 

 cages, and learnt, in answer to our questions, that they lived together in the greatest harmony. Con- 

 noisseurs have told us that with care they can be made very tame, and will show great affection for 

 their master, but rarely learn to speak, or only in the most imperfect manner. Their plumage forms 

 their greatest attraction. 



THE BETTET. 



The Bettet (Palmornis fiondicerianus), together with other allied species, is found throughout 

 India and the neighbouring islands. In size it resembles the Rose-ringed Parrakeet, but differs from 

 it in the markings of its more variegated plumage. Green is also here the prevailing colour, but the 

 delicate rose red that marks the neck of the former is in this bird spread over the whole breast, and, 

 in the male, extends over the top of the head. The whole mantle is green, the sides of the wings 

 yellowish green, and here and there the feathers have more or less broad yellow edges ; the tail-feathers 

 are blueish green above, on the under side yellowish green ; the belly is green, but much paler than 

 the back. The head and breast contrast splendidly with these leaf-like tints ; it is difficult to 

 describe the mixture of colours they present ; we can only say that the head is of a blueish or 

 greyish rose red, while a narrow band on the forehead, and the marks on the cheeks, heighten 

 the effect of the bright and glowing tints on the neck. A line on the forehead, which reaches to 



