BOOK PEPLER. 67 



The Rock Pepler was first acquired by the Zoological Society of 

 London in 1864; since which date numerous specimens of the species 

 have been introduced into the Gardens; where, however, from whatever 

 cause, they have not any of them made a very prolonged sojourn. 

 The last consignment of eight or ten fine birds iu splendid condition 

 were located in the passage leading into the Parrot House, and if 

 their predecessors were treated with like scant regard for their well- 

 being, it is not wonderful that their exit was a speedy one. With 

 the western aviary at their disposal, it seems a pity that the authorities 

 could not have found a more suitable place for these extremely inter- 

 esting birds; t but they do not seem to care very much about Parrots 

 or Parrakeets at the "Zoo", which is unfortunate; for no private person 

 has the same opportunities for determining doubtful points in connection 

 with Parrot life. 



Many people who keep or have kept a Eock Pepler have no notion 

 what a nice pet it makes; for they immure it in a small cage, in 

 which it has barely room to turn round, and cannot attend to its 

 toilet; consequently its plumage becomes frayed and lustreless, not only 

 from want of the necessary ablutions, but in consequence of the bird 

 being unable to move without rubbing its wings and tail against the 

 bars of its prison-house. 



In a properly constructed aviary, however, the bird will enjoy itself, 

 and wear a bloom upon its dress that will be looked for in vain in 

 the house; of course in such a situation it will, with rare exceptions, 

 not get as tame as when kept indoors ; but the beauty of its plumage^ 

 and the evident enjoyment with which it flies and clambers about its 

 still narrow abode, will more than compensate the owner for this slight 

 drawback. 



If a suitable Parrot-house in the garden or shrubbery is not at the 

 disposition of the connoisseur, let him give his Rock Pepler as large 

 a cage as possible, and encourage it to come out and fly about the 

 room; for not only does the exercise do good, but the Parrakeet itself 

 is seen to much better advantage than when sitting sullenly upon a 

 straight perch behind the bars of a cage. 



It is a good plan to keep a log of semi-decayed wood in the cage 

 with all the Australian Parrakeets, which are inveterate whittlers, from 

 the tiny Budgerigar up to the comparatively huge King Parrakeet. 

 Hours will be spent by them in cutting it to pieces, and the exercise 

 is valuable in more ways than one. In the first place the bill is kept 

 in good order, ground down, so to speak ; whereas in the case of birds 

 that cannot thus occupy their leisure, the upper mandible is apt to 

 attain to an inordinate length, often interfering with its owner's power 



