PSITTACUS ERITHACUS. _ 169 



sailors in merchant vessels and mail-steamers. This price only applies to 

 wild birds (generally young ones), mature and accomplished Parrots 

 fetching large sums. I have seen them whilst up the river Addo, near 

 Lagos, crossing at sunset from their feeding-grounds to their roosting-places. 

 They present the appearance of one continuous flock passing at a great 

 distance overhead, their screams and chattering being heard long after 

 darkness has set in. They do terrible mischief to the maize-crops, as they 

 waste much more than they consume. They are occasionally eaten when 

 young, and are considered not unpalatable food." 



Reichenow ('Journal fur Ornithologie,' 1875, p. 10, " Vogelfauna 

 Westafrica's ") makes some valuable remarks, which are thus condensed. He 

 states it to be very numerous on the Gold Coast, on the Niger, at Cameroon 

 and Gaboon, and that it breeds in the low lands along the streams, and groves 

 of mangrove. As these localities are swampy and muddy, they are difficult 

 to traverse, if not impossible ; consequently the birds are not molested by 

 man (" and this is the chief reason why no one has observed them while 

 breeding "). He adds : — " I had never an opportunity of observing nestling 

 birds ; but I feel sure they have dark grey tails at first ; for a Nigger told 

 me this, assuring me that he had himself taken the birds from the nest. I 

 have myself seen young specimens which had the base of the tail-feathers 

 dark grey just colouring into red, as also the tail-coverts. The young has 

 not so clear a grey as the old, but a more faded and brownish one, and 

 shows a grey iris instead of a yellow one. After the breeding-season, these 

 Parrots unite in troops and roost upon a certain tree during night, where they 

 often congregate in hundreds. They arrive here in small bands ; and their 

 noise is terrible. In the morning they divide, and visit the fields of Indian 

 corn of the Niggers, where they make great havoc. In going to and fro they 

 always take the same direction ; so we could watch them and shoot them 

 when flying overhead. But this could only be done a few times, as the 

 clever birds changed their direction. The flesh is only good for soup " 

 (Dohrn says the contrary). " The flight of this Parrot is bad, and it goes 



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