1 82 Parrots £^ Parakeets 



And they breed successfully in captivity. 



Ml. Dutton, the Vicar of Bibury, a well-known 

 authority on the parrot tribe, once sent me a young 

 New Zealand parakeet, one of a brood of five that was 

 hatched in his aviaries, and a more charming pet I 

 never had. 



It would sit on my hand and clamber with swift 

 movfements up my arm on to my shoulder, uttering its 

 peculiar crowing cry. 



There is another, closely allied to this species, with 

 a golden front to its head. 



They fly exceedingly swiftly, and they are hardy 

 enough for an outdoor aviary in England. 



Some of the macaws are well known, with their 

 formidable bills and gaudy feathers. One is scarlet 

 with yellow and blue in the wings and a blue tail. 



Another is blue and yellow, and another a deep 

 bright blue all over (the hyacinthine macaw), inhabit- 

 ing Brazil. 



Illiger's macaw is considerably smaller and very 

 pretty. 



I know of two or three owners of macaws who 

 allow them to fly about the gardens. A fine sight 

 they are. 



At a country house in Yorkshire there is a splendid 

 fellow who flies down from the trees directly the mid- 

 day dinner-bell is rung, and presents himself at the 

 door of the kitchen quite regularly. 



When I went up the Nile in 1899 on a Dahabeah, 

 I could not resist purchasing a fine red and blue 

 macaw in Cairo at a native bird-dealer's. 



