32 PSEPHOTI. 



the wall of a room in which they were. Had they done so, they would 

 have got into a loft and escaped. So they were caged and sent to 

 the Zoological Gardens on condition that they were to be turned into 

 the Western aviary. I doubt if the condition was ever kept; for 

 when I went to see how they were getting on, they were not there; 

 no one seemed to know much about them, and after awhile I was 

 told they were dead. It is not much use sending birds to the Zo- 

 ological Gardens with a view to their being bred, for it must be 

 recollected that they are zoological gardens, and not a Jardin 

 d'Acclirnatation. If the Government would allow them more land, they 

 could make the Gardens much more attractive, and of course more 

 use; but as they are now restricted to the narrow and inconvenient 

 plots they have, they cannot do more than they do: it is wonderful 

 they do so much. 



However, to return to my Paradise Paroquets, I regretted afterwards 

 that a box covered with tin was not fastened on the other side of the 

 wall into which they wanted to burrow : I think they might then have 

 bred. 



If I place the Paradise Paroquet at the head of Paroquets for beauty, 

 I place the Blue Bonnet, P. hcematog aster, at the head of Paroquets 

 as a cage bird. It is the Merry- Andrew of birds. Who can describe 

 its tricks in all their charm, amusement, and infinite variety? It is a 

 bird full of resources, and never suffers from boredom. If it has 

 nothing else to play with, it will play with its own tail. Beally to 

 enjoy them, they are better kept singly. If they are rather like Pul- 

 cherrimus in harrying their wives, they are the complete opposite of 

 Pulcherrimus as to timidity. No birds could be bolder, and it needs 

 a very short time to make them perfectly familiar with their master. 

 I do not mean to say that they like being handled. Paroquets are 

 not like Parrots and Cockatoos in this respect. The tamest of them 

 endure handling rather than like it as a rule; and the Australian ones 

 like it rather less than the Indian and American ones if anything. But 

 they came forward to the edge of their cage, and are always ready 

 for play. In fact if I were to have to choose which of all the species 

 of the Parrot tribe should be the only representative of the family left 

 on the earth, I should beg that it might be the Blue Bonnet. Mine 

 did not make any advances to breeding. 



I fed them all on millet, canary, and a little hemp. Oats would be 

 good for them, or groats. They like plantains. They are very fond 

 of bathing, and should always have a good-sized bath. I found Blue 

 Bonnets rather subject to inflammation of the lungs. I never had any 

 trouble with Pulcherrimus as to health. 



