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SgARDINE'S f?ARROT. 



Psittacus Oulielmi. 



Synonyms: Pyocephalus Guliehni, Jed. & Slb.; Pionias Gulielmi, Schlg.; 



Poiocephalus Oulielmi, Snc.; Psittacus Aubrianus, Ge. 



Geeman: Guilelmi's La?igflugelpapagei, Rss. 



Feench: Perroquet a tete cV or. 



SIR WILLIAM JARDINE, the editor of the well-known Naturalist's 

 Library, has had the honour,, bestowed upon him by his collabo- 

 rates, Prideaux John Selby, of giving both his names to this handsome 

 bird; and when we have said that, there remains but little more to 

 be added to the account we have to give of it; for the Pceocephali 

 are not, as a rule, remarkable for their intelligence; and Gulielmus 

 as far at least as our experience of the bird goes, comes in pretty far 

 down the list; but as, on the other hand, our colleague and a corres- 

 pondent, who have had a wider experience with it than we can boast 

 of, speak most favourably of it as a domestic pet; and as fairplay is 

 a jewel of the first water, we give both sides of the question, and 

 like the showman in the story, say to our readers "pay your money 

 and take your choice"— that is buy a Jardine, and determine for 

 yourselves which side of the question you will choose to espouse. 



To begin with the dark side of its character. Dr. Russ does not 

 include Gulielmus amongh is "Talking Parrots" {Die sprechenden Papa- 

 geien), and as he places in that category others that have very small 

 faculty indeed for imitating the human voice, or repeating any sound 

 other than their own native woodland notes; that would be saying, or 

 rather not saying, a good deal, providing his experience of the bird 

 were not limited to one or two specimens of unfortunately morose 

 disposition, or that were perhaps afflicted with some disease, to which 

 captive Parrots are so subject; for our colleague, as we have said, 

 credits Jardine' s Parrot with learning to speak quickly and well if 



