PARROTS. 75 



cases a moderately-sized cage is quite sufficient. The most important thing is to leave the birds 

 undisturbed, and keep them well fed. 



It is necessary to be personally acquainted with these lovable little creatures, and to have 

 observed them during the performance of their parental duties, to be able to understand the enthusiasm 

 with which they are regarded ; it is only during their pairing time that we become fully conscious of 

 their many merits. "The male," says Devon, "is a model husband, and his mate is a model 

 mother. He devotes his whole attention to his chosen one, never heeding another female, though she 

 be in the same place with him ; he is always zealous, devoted, and ardent — indeed, shows the utmost 

 affection towards his partner. Perched upon a twig before the opening of the nest, he sings her his 

 best song, and while she is sitting feeds her with as much zeal as pleasure. He is neidier dull, 

 quiet, nor sleepy, like many other husbands, but always cheerful and charming." 



The building of the nest is the exclusive business of the female. She works with her beak at the 

 entrance till it satisfies her, and then, more or less, at the interior, gnawing off little shreds, on which 

 she lays, in the space of two days, from four to eight small, round, shining white eggs. She then sits 

 for eighteen or twenty days most assiduously, and during the whole time is fed by the male, never 

 leaving the hole except on the most urgent necessity. The young remain some thirty or thirty-five 

 days in the nest, and only quit it when fledged. During all this time the mother is busily occupied 

 in keeping their home clean, and, like a good housewife, clears out her little chamber every morning, 

 and cleanses and purifies her offspring with extraordinary care. Immediately after leaving die nest, 

 the young go in search of food, and a few days after conduct themselves quite like the old birds. 

 Still, care must be taken, for the before-mentioned zeal of the father is often shown in an unexpected 

 manner ; he will fall upon his brood so boisterously, and seize them with so much roughness, that 

 he kills them by his caresses. The first brood is no sooner fledged dian the parents have a 

 second, and even a third and fourth ; indeed, Schlegel, the director of the Zoological Gardens at 

 Breslau, declares that he has known them breed all the year round. Such cases are exceptional ; 

 three broods, according to our own observations, are the usual number. The last family of young 

 may be left with the parents without danger, and then the first brood may be brought back. These 

 show themselves to be quite as affectionate as their parents, and feed and take care of the nestlings. 

 Moreover, they will imitate each other in everything — in climbing, flying, eating, and chattering — so 

 that the noise in the nursery often becomes quite deafening, and sometimes seems to be too much 

 even for the parents, who will then remove to a distance to get out of the way. 



A pair of Waved Parrots in our possession occupied a large cage, in which they seemed very com- 

 fortable, but perhaps the bright sun, as it laughed at them through the windows, made them sigli for 

 freedom. One day the female cleverly made her escape, and, before we discovered it, had flown 

 through the window. We now learned to admire this bird from another point of view, as we 

 watched its glorious flight, and may say with truth that we forgot to feel angry at our loss. The 

 fugitive rose high into the air, and screamed with- delight as it wheeled round and round with 

 incomparable rapidity over a neighbouring garden ; it flew quite difterendy to any parrot we 

 ever saw — indeed, more like a falcon or a swallow, and was soon out of sight, but in a few 

 minutes reappeared in the garden, apparently in consequence of the anxious cry of its mate, for 

 we had at once placed the latter near the window. The lovers of these birds know that their tone is 

 deceptively like that of our sparrows. It was the height of summer, and all the roofs were covered 

 with young sparrows, who exhibited the greatest agitation as soon as the beautiful stranger appeared. 

 The parrot had placed itself upon a plum-tree near the window, and from thence conversed with its 

 mate. The young sparrows, who thought that the enticing chirp was intended for them, ventured near 

 in flocks, regardless of the warnings and cautions of their elders, for diough the latter seemed 



