57 



§UNG-Jf ECKED . 

 OR fgENGAL f§ARRAKEET. 



Psittacus torquatus, Euss. 

 Synonyms: Psittacus Alexandri; Psittacus torquatus macrourus antiquorum; 



Psittacus minor macrovius viridis; Psittacus manillensis? Bchst.; 

 'Psittacus docilis; Paloeomis torquatus, Yges.; etc. German: Ber Kleine 



Alexander sittieh. 



THIS pretty little bird is, like the preceding species,, a native of 

 India, but is also found in Africa; the difference between the 

 Asiatic and African varieties being too slight to warrant their being 

 separated into two distinct species. 



The Ring-necked Parrakeet bears a general resemblance to its larger 

 relative the Alexandrine, but the green head has a decided bluish 

 tinge running through it; the beak is red, with a black tip, the wing 

 spot is much smaller, and the pinky rose crescent on the back of the 

 neck in the latter bird, dwindles down to a narrow line in the one 

 under consideration. 



There is no difference between the African and Indian Ring-necked 

 Parrakeets, except that the former is perhaps a trifle the larger of the 

 two, and has a black instead of a reddish beak. 



In the London Zoological Society's catalogue, the African bird is 

 called the Rose-ringed Parrakeet (Palasornis docilis), and the Indian, 

 the Ring-necked Parrakeet {Paloiornis torquatus); but, as we have 

 already remarked, the differences are so very trifling as to be really 

 immaterial; and to make two species of them, is, in our opinion, creating 

 a difference for the sake of multiplying species, where too many have 

 been already made. 



A smaller variety still is found in the Island of Mauritius, and differs 



