51 



Alexandrine ^arrakeet. 



Psittacus ewpatrius, Buss. 



Synonyms: Palceomis Alexandra, Vans., Jed.; Psittacus Alexandri, 



Bchst., Lthm.; Psittacus neglectus, Psittacus torquatus, Oonurus 



Alexandri auctorum; etc., etc. G-eeman: Der grosse Alexander -Sittich. 



Feench: La grande Perruclie a Collier, Vllt. 



CONSIDERABLE amount of confusion exists with regard to the 

 different species of Palceornes, in consequence of various authors 

 having imposed upon several of them the specific designations of Alex- 

 ander and torquatus ; so that it becomes a matter of some consequence 

 to clearly individualise each species, in order to obviate for the future 

 the possibility of one of them being mistaken for the other. 



Speaking of the genus, Palceomis, Mr. Vigors observes: "The birds 

 that compose it are at first sight distinguished by their superior ele- 

 gance and gracefulness of form. This character is considerably increased 

 by the construction of the tail, the two middle feathers of which far 

 exceed the rest in length." 



The bird which forms the subject of the present notice, is a native 

 of India, and is also found in the adjacent islands, whence it is not 

 unfrequently imported into this country, although not as often as its 

 smaller congener, the Ring-necked, Psittacus, or Palwornis torquatus, 

 also, called the Bengal Parrakeet, of which we propose giving a des- 

 cription in the next chapter. 



The Alexandrine Parrot, if named after the great Emperor of. Mace- 

 donia, deserves the appellation, for he is, literally, the greatest of his 

 race, measuring some twenty inches in extreme length, twelve of which, 

 however, are occupied by the tail; the body is slim and compactly 

 made, but the head is large, and the beak of formidable dimensions; 

 still his majesty can scarcely be called a handsome bird, nor is he of 



