130 
CAGE AND SINGING BIRDS. 
length of tlieir tails, we must now divert our attention to 
those generally distinguished by their short and even tails 
THE ILLINOIS PARROT. 
This is a well-known species in England, being that which 
is most commonly met with in the shop of the dealer, and, 
as a matter of course, in the private residence. It is taken 
in great numbers in the more southerly of the United States, \ 
and forms quite a considerable article ol ssxport trade. It is' 
not nearly so large as the macaws, being usually about nine 
inches long ; the prevailing colour of the plumage is a rich 
green, which changes in the under parts of the body to 
yellowish gray; the forehead, cheeks, and throat are a 
ijrilliant orange colour ; the beak is light gray ; and the eye 
encircled with a naked skin of the same tint. This bird, in 
its native savannahs, associates in flocks of several hundreds, 
and, in confinement, evinces the same sociability of dis- 
position : it is gentle, affectionate, and intelligent; although 
by no means so fluent a talker as some of its tribe. It feeds, 
when wild, much upon chestnuts, acorns, and peas^ which ^ 
may occasionally be given to it in confinement; its chief food ' 
should be bread and milk. A pair of these birds will live 
very happil}^ together in a large brass wire cage; they 
become so attached to each other's company that, if one 
dies, the other seldom survives the loss long. 
THE ASH-COLOURED PARROT. 
This bird is a native of Guinea and other parts of Africa • 
it is about the size of a pigeon, and one of the commonest of 
the domesticated species ; the plumage throughout is of a 
silvery gray, except the short tail, which is crimson, and the 
uill, which is black. A gentle and familiar bird, a capital 
mimic, and a fluent talker, the plain gray parrot is a more 
ii;'eneral favourite than many of its gaily-attired congeners : 
it is one of the few parrots which may be trusted with 
children, the company of which it really seems to prefer 
In its wild state, this bird lives almost entirely on fruit and 
grain : it is very fond of the seed of the sunflower, on whick 
it thrives and grows fat ; bread and milk and fruit should be 
its diet in confinement; dainty morsels from the table it will 
be well pleased to receive, but it is mistaken kindness to give 
