in captivity in lower bengal. 257 



Length of life in captivity. 



A specimen is living since 1880, another since 1882, and others 

 for over two years. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — It does equally well singly or in pairs, in small cages or 

 in large aviaries; with respect to cold and draughts, the same care 

 should be bestowed upon it as upon a cockatoo or any other delicate 

 bird ; though fond of nibbling at things, the cutting power of its beak 

 is limited, so that its cage need not be as strong as that of a oockatoo. 



Food. — Smaller grains and seeds constitute their principal food; 

 in this garden they are chiefly fed upon canary seeds and paddy, with 

 a constant and liberal supply of vegetables. 



Breeding. — They have occasionally laid eggs, but never succeeded 

 in hatching out young, having unfortunately given up sitting after 

 a day or two. A box one foot long, 9 inches in breadth and height, 

 with a saucer-shaped wicker basket fixed inside, makes excellent nesting 

 accommodation for a pair of these birds. 



Nothing is known about their ailments in captivity. 



Observations on their habits. 



When half a dozen of them are living with other birds in a large 

 aviary, they flock together, but they are by no means exclusive, as 

 now and then one may be observed to associate and even make friends 

 with a different species; the motions of these birds are graceful as 

 they either fly or walk on the ground ; those living in a large aviary 

 seldom learn to talk: cage birds, however, soon pick up words and 

 sentences. 



(164) ALEXANDRINE, OH THE ROSE-BAND 

 PARRAKEET. 



(PAL^OENIS EUPATEIUS— {Linn.) ) 

 Hindi — Rai-Suga. Bengali — Chandana. 



This and the following parrakeets (Nos. 165, 166, 169 and 170) are 

 well known in Lower Bengal, and therefore no description is given. It 

 varies somewhat in size and colour. 



j£ ao — Thi s species is found in Northern India, including the 

 lower ranges of the Himalayas, the forests of Malabar, Central and 

 Southern India, Eastern Sunderbuns, and extends through Assam and 

 Cachar to British Burmah ; it is also found in Ceylon and Eastern 

 China : those found in Ceylon are smaller and lighter- coloured birds 

 than those from Northern India. 



Length of life in captivity. 



A specimen from Northern India has been living in the garden for 

 upwards of ten years. 



