38 YELLOW-NAPE D PABBAKEET. 



It is a handsome bird. The forehead is crossed by a narrow crimson 

 band; the head is blackish brown, changing gradually into blue on the 

 cheeks; a band of bright yellow encircles the back of the neck; the 

 upper surface generally is of a deep grass green colour, which becomes 

 paler towards the shoulders; the primaries and spurious wing feathers 

 are blackish brown, but the external web of each feather is deep blue; 

 the two central feathers of the tail are very deep grass green, but the 

 next pair on either side passing to blue, and are terminated by bluish 

 white tips: the rest of the tail feathers are green at the base passing 

 into blue, and ending with white; the chest is dark green, and the rest 

 of the under surface is a paler shade of the same colour; the irides 

 are dark brown; the bill horn colour; and the legs and feet dark brown. 



The Yellow-naped Parrakeet is a native of "Western Australia, where 

 Gould found it very abundant in the vicinity of Swan River. It is 

 hardy, and frequently caged by the Colonists, who call it the "Twenty- 

 eight" Parrot, from the fancied resemblance of the last two syllables 

 of its call note to those words. Although essentially a ground bird, it 

 breeds in the hollow limbs of trees, making no nest, but laying its 

 seven or nine white eggs on the semi-decayed wood. There are generally 

 two broods in the season, which extends from October to January. 



It has not so far distinguished itself very prominently as a talker, 

 but it has a melodious voice, for a Parrakeet, and learns to whistle 

 an air with facility and correctness. Being of a gentle but withal not 

 timid nature, it soon becomes very familiar, not only with the person 

 who feeds it, but with the other inmates of the house; whom it usually 

 recognises by a repetition of its peculiar cry. 



There is very little outward difference between the sexes; but the 

 adult female is decidedly smaller than her mate, and the colours of her 

 plumage are duller. 



The young resemble their parents from the first, but are considerably 

 smaller than them, when they leave the nest. 



M. Alfred Rousse, of Fontenay-le Oomte, to whose valuable work on 

 L'avicultvre des Perruches, we have referred more than once, says of 

 this species: "Oette perruche est tres robuste, et a* est deja reproduite 

 en voliere" (this Parrakeet is very hardy, and has already bred in 

 captivity), which should be an encouragement to other amateurs to 

 "go and do likewise"; that is to say, to buy a pair of Yellow-naped, 

 turn them out into a commodious aviary, and in due course, enjoy 

 the pleasure of seeing half a dozen or more young Parrakeets join 

 their parents on the perches, or branches in the enclosure. 



Dealers are not to be depended upon as a rule in the matter of 

 names, and appear to be considerably "mixed" with regard to these 



