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gLEGANT IgARRAKEET. 



Psittacus elegans, Russ. 



Synonyms: Euphema elegans, Gld., Gr., Fnsch.; Nanodes elegans, Gld. 



German: Der Ziersittich. 



THIS handsome bird is, we believe, only a local variety of the 

 species just described, which it resembles in almost every par- 

 ticular; the same dark green vesture, enlivened by a blue band round 

 the beak, and blue markings on the shoulders and wing coverts; the 

 under surface is also yellow, deepening to orange at the vent: the one 

 point of difference is that the Elegant has less blue on the wing than 

 the Turquoisine. 



The female very closely resembles her mate, but has less of the blue 

 markings on the face than he has, and the golden hue of the lower 

 surface is, in her case, washed with a greenish tinge, the vent feathers 

 are also paler, being yellow rather than orange. 



The young are like their mother, but duller of tint; however they 

 moult when six or seven months old, and can then no longer be dis- 

 tinguished from their parents. 



Not only does this bird resemble the Turquoisine in appearance and 

 size, but in habits and in the possession of a tolerably musical voice, 

 especially during the earlier days of his courtship, when he sings and 

 dances before his mate in a manner which, to her, no doubt is charming, 

 but which, to the human beholder, verges closely on the ridiculous. 

 The Elegant is a gentle bird, and may be kept in a mixed collection, 

 but is not as likely to breed in such a situation as if he and his wife 

 were given a good-sized aviary for their own exclusive benefit. It is 

 said that these birds will breed in a large aviary cage, but upon this 

 point also we are without personal experience. 



We are disposed to believe that the Elegant and the Turquoisine 

 belong to the same species, and that the main point of difference 



