170 PSITTACUS ERITHACUS. 



with a short quick motion of its wings. Varieties with the primaries red are 

 common. Gypohierax angolensis appears to be its chief enemy." 



Psittacus erithacus was observed by the German expedition in Western 

 Africa, Loango (' Correspondenzblatt der Afrikanischen Gesellschaft,' 1875, 

 no. 10, p. 186). 



In ' The Ibis,' April 1874, 3rd ser. vol. iv. no 14, p. 185, we read : — 



" Dr. Kirk has brought with him, on his return from Zanzibar, a Grey 

 Parrot (^Psittacus erithacus^. He informs us that this Parrot was brought 

 from the Manyuema country, on the west of Lake Tanganyika, opposite 

 Ujiji, where, according to Dr. Livingstone's information, the chief is called 

 ' Mana-kos,' or ' King of the Koskos ' or Parrots. 



" The existence of Psittacus erithacus in the Niam-niam country, on the 

 western watershed of the White Nile, was already known (c/: Heuglin, 

 ' Ornith. Nordost-Afrika's,' p. 745) ; but the fact of its occurrence on Lake 

 Tanganyika is, we believe, new. Dr. Kirk says it is often brought down to 

 Zanzibar by the dealers in ivory. — P. L. S." 



Livingstone, in his ' Last Journals,' vol. ii. p. 95 (1871), mentions an 

 unpleasant custom in reference to this bird. "The Manyuema are the most 

 bloody, callous savages I know. One puts a scarlet feather from a Parrot's 

 tail on the ground, and challenges those near to stick it in their hair ; he who 

 does so must kill a man or woman." Again, vol. ii. p. 98, " Some kill 

 people in order to be allowed to wear the red tail-feathers of a Parrot 

 in their hair." 



Livingstone is in error when he says (chap, iv., vol. ii. p. 85) " the 

 Parrots all seize their food and hold it Avith the left hand. The lion, too, is 

 left-handed ; he strikes with his left ; so are all animals left-handed, save 

 man." This idea postulated by Livingstone is not the fact as regards 

 Parrots in captivity. I consulted Mr. Bartlett on this subject ; and he 

 thinks they become right- or left-handed in some cases on board ship fi-om 

 being chained up, and continue so. In a pair of the King Parrakeet 

 (^Aprosmictus scapulatus), New South Wales, the male commonly used the 



