IN CAPTIVITY IN LOWER BENGAL. 263 



(176) THE SUMATEAN LAEGE-BILLED PARRAKEET. 

 (TANYGNATHUS STTMATRSMIS— {Baffles.) ) 



Description, — Smaller and much lighter in colour than the preced- 

 ing i forehead, crown and nape green, mottled with yellow ; upper back 

 light yellow ; breast and under abdomen light yellow ; under surface 

 of the quills light ashy. 



Hab. — Sumatra. 



Length of life in captivity. 



There is no record of the period during which it lived in the 

 garden ; it died soon after its arrival. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — The king parrakeet appears to do well in an aviary ; 

 but for the large-hilled and the blue- crowned parrakeets cages are to 

 be preferred ; wherever a king parrakeet is placed it must have ready 

 access to water for bathing, especially during the hot weather. 



Food, — Grains of various kinds and vegetables. 



Observations on their habits. 



The mental capacities of these parrakeets do not appear to be 

 susceptible of much training, and none of them ever attain the same 

 degree of tameness as most birds of the same family do ; but the king 

 parrakeet is a harmless creature and not given to scratching or biting. 



(177) THE INDIAN LORIKEET. 

 (LOEICULUS VERNALIS— (Sparr.) ) 



In Hindi and Bengali all the lorikeets are known as Zatkan, i.e., 

 hanging parrakeets, without any specific distinction. 



Description, — Total length about 5J inches ; the general colour of 

 the plumage green ; throat blue ; rump and upper tail-coverts crimson ; 

 quills tinged with blue on the outer webs ; breast tinged with yellow : 

 the sexes differ, the female having no blue on the throat. 



Hab. — Found in the Sub-Himalayan regions, the jungles of the 

 Malabar coast, the hill ranges of Assam, Sylhet, Tipperah ; extends 

 through the Indo-Burmese countries to Burmah, the Malayan penin- 

 sula, and the Andaman Islands. 



Length of life in captivity. 



Although there is no record of individual specimens, these birds 

 generally do well. 



