VASA P ABBOT. 81 



ff He is not noisy, and says several words plainly, Dr. Buss notwith- 

 standing. When I go to feed him he utters a very faint plaintive 

 cry, much like a child in cunabula, and a very young one indeed. He 

 is extremely playful, and very fond of a shampooing. I am much 

 amused at his attempts to wash in his drinking tin; he succeeds in 

 making himself very wet, as well as his surroundings. He is fond of 

 having his head scratched." 



The above graphic account of a fine specimen of the species to which 

 it belongs, shows that even the Black Parrots vary in character, and 

 that some of them are more teachable and of a gayer and more lively 

 disposition than others; but on the whole it tallies very well with 

 what we have written about the bird, whether from our own or the 

 observations of others. 



To sum up, we may briefly remark that in our opinion the larger 

 Vasa is a capital bird to make a pet of; for it is docile, hardy, and 

 not usually noisy; qualities that should render it more acceptable to 

 amateurs than it appears to be, and which should go far to compensate 

 in their eyes for any lack of the brilliant colouring so characteristic 

 of the Parrot family ; for, as the proverb to which we have more than 

 once in these pages referred, truly says, " Handsome is that handsome 

 does." 



We may here mention that in addition to the Lesser Yasa and the 

 Praslin Parrot, there are several other less known species of Black 

 Parrots, which each and all bear more or less affinity to the subject 

 of the present notice ; which they resemble so closely, except in point 

 of size, that it is unnecessary to figure them in this work; though 

 a few words upon their suitability for domestic life may not be 

 unacceptable to our readers. 



The Lesser Vasa Parrot, also called the Brown and the Ash-brown 

 Parrot, is about fourteen inches in length, and is a native of 

 Madagascar, where it consorts with the larger species, as the Jackdaws 

 are in the habit of doing with the Rooks in our own fields. 



It is Psittacus niger of Edwards, and Madagascar iensis niger of 

 Brisson, Le Petit Vasa of Le Yaillant, and Per hleine schivarze Papagei 

 of the Germans. It is equally enduring with its larger relative, and, 

 like it, whistles and pipes, but speaks little, though it imitates fairly 

 well the cries of different animals and various domestic sounds. The 

 treatment is the same that has been recommended for the Large Yasa. 



Four specimens of the Lesser Yasa (Goracopsis nigra, Z. S.) have 

 at various times been placed in the Parrot House at the "Zoo," of 

 which the first arrived in 1857, and the last in 1872. 



Barkly's Parrot (Psittacus BarHyi), named in honour of Sir Henry 



