28 BED SEINING PABBAKEET. 



outer web, the two central ones green, with blue tips extending about 

 one-third of the length. But as it must be nearly twenty years since 

 I had mine, and I only had one, I cannot describe it better than by 

 saying it is very like a King Parrot, only that the beak is black, and 

 the crimson much darker. Its eyes, like those of the Masked Parrot, 

 have bright orange irides, so as to give it a wild look. 



I found my bird dull and quiet. I do not remember its being noisy. 

 Its one occupation was to scratch all day at the bottom of the cage. 

 I wish some one would kindly explain what Parrots mean when they 

 do this. My Jardine's Parrot is always doing it. I sometimes wonder 

 is it the sign of a hen bird, and is it the burrowing preparatory to 

 making a nest. If it was, it never laid an egg with me, but I soon 

 parted with it to the Zoological Gardens. It did not long survive, and 

 I have reason to think that this and the Masked Parrakeet are pecu- 

 liarly liable to decline. I do not think any specimen has lived very 

 long in captivity, and I cannot but suspect that we have not discovered 

 its right diet. I believe I fed mine on hemp and canary seed, and I 

 probably gave it sop, but it is now so long ago that I cannot be sure. 

 The general price of these birds is £5, though I gave only £3 for 

 mine. The Masked Parrakeet is worth about £4, but they seldom 

 come into the market. I intend some day, when I can secure a 

 thoroughly healthy bird, to try the Masked Parrakeets, and perhaps to 

 have another attempt with Splendens. 



