)NTRODUCTION. 



THE laudable attempts of the late Mr. C. Buxton, of Mr. Sydney Buxton, 

 of the Hon. and Rev. Mr. Dutton, and of other amateurs to naturalize 

 different kinds of Parrots, Parrakeets, Lories, and Cockatoos in this country, 

 having failed, mainly in consequence of "those vile guns", it is to be feared 

 that connoisseurs who wish to obtain an intimate acquaintance with these 

 birds without going abroad, must content themselves with studying the 

 manners, habits and peculiarities of the various species of Parrots in cap- 

 tivity, since to do so at large would appear, for the reasons stated above, 

 and in the following pages, to be impossible; and it is a terrible pity that 

 it should be so, for few sights are more attractive than a flock of these 

 grand birds, the Macaws especially, wheeling around in the bright sunshine, 

 when their variegated coats glisten like living jewels, and then settling down 

 among the tops of some patriarchal trees, where they show themselves off 

 to even greater advantage — their brilliant colours contrasting boldly with the 

 dark green of the surrounding foliage — than when sporting freely in mid 

 air. 



Nevertheless, to observe them in captivity is not without its advantages, 

 for it is undoubtedly true that a "homing" instinct is not characteristic of 

 the race, and when permitted to fly abroad at their own free will, too many 

 of the Psittacidce. are unable to find their way back again to their owner's 

 grounds, and die miserably, either killed by birds or beasts of prey, such 

 as hawks, foxes, weasels and so forth, shot by ignorant sportsmen (?), or 

 starved to death from inability to find food for themselves: again, Parrots 

 allowed to enjoy full, or even partial, freedom, seldom become so tame as 

 individuals of the same species that are kept in the house, or, if ever so 

 familiar when permitted to fly abroad, soon become more or less wild when 

 allowed a wider range ; so that after all the seemingly cruel plan of putting 

 them in a cage, is, undoubtedly, the kindest in the end, and a Parrot that 

 is well looked after by a kind and sympathetic owner, not only soon becomes 

 reconciled to its fate, but actually so attached to its prison that it cannot 

 be induced to leave it, and if taken out forcibly, returns to its familiar perch 

 with evident satisfaction. 



