42 CANARY-WINGED PARRAKEET. 



Dr. Luchs, who considers its cry as "by no means harsh or disagreeable", 

 relates that a bird of this species which he keeps in an open cage, 

 has become very tame and gentle with him, though still distrustful of 

 strangers; in whose presence it is always shy. At breakfast the bird 

 comes from its cage, climbs up the window curtain, crosses two cages 

 and comes down the curtain on the opposite side to the sofa; whence 

 it makes its way to the table, where he is in the habit of feeding it 

 with sugar, toast, etc. If the doctor does not immediately notice it, 

 the little Parrakeet pecks his finger, looking at the same time appeal- 

 ingly up into his face. When its appetite is satisfied it returns by 

 the same difficult route to its abode. 



Dr. Luchs is in the habit of giving two or three mealworms a day 

 to his Canary-wing, which has learned to ask for them, when it thinks 

 the time has come for the treat it has grown to look for. "Paperle", 

 it cries, "Paperle, ein Mehlwurm", (Little Polly, little Polly, a meal- 

 worm,) and other individuals of the species have displayed even greater 

 capacity for the acquisition of articulate speech. 



So far there is no recorded instance of the Canary- wing having 

 bred in captivity, but as new species are yearly being found to nest 

 in various aviaries, it is possible that it may have done so without 

 the fact being deemed of sufficient importance to merit a notice being- 

 sent to those papers which devote a part, or the whole, of their space 

 to bird matters. 



There is scarcely any perceptible outward difference between the 

 sexes. "I often thought that two of these birds which I possessed 

 were a real pair, for though the plumage was alike, one was decidedly 

 larger than the other, and that they would end by having a brood; 

 but my expectations came to nothing, for I always found the nest-box 

 empty, even after they had made the greatest fuss in it, and had 

 stayed inside for an hour at a time. Possibly they might breed if 

 they had a free flight in the aviary; but they are so mischievously 

 disposed and aggressive towards even the largest Parrakeets when they 

 have their liberty, that I am obliged to keep them confined. They 

 always combine together to attack an adversary, one waiting for the 

 assistance of the other.'" — Thus Dr. Euss. We have not found them 

 worse in this respect than the other Conures, few of which can be 

 kept in a mixed aviary without disastrous results to the rest of the 

 inmates; whether large or small. 



To sum up: the Canary- wing is a pretty and engaging little bird, 

 about the size of a thrush; it is decidedly intelligent, and has proved 

 itself capable of being perfectly tamed, and of learning to speak a 

 few words; on the other hand it has a very disagreeable screech, 



