The Speckled Conure. 
145 
scarlet feathers just showing- themselves. Mr. Goodchild found 
that vermilion exactly represented these red feathers. It is 
on lifting the wing that the true beauty and gorgeousness of 
of these Parrakeets is seen. In the male the whole flank and 
under wing coverts are a bright scarlet compared to which 
the Orange -flanked Parrakeet {Brotogerys pyrrhopterus) is 
positively insipid. The female is somewhat less vividly 
coloured, and the scarlet band is narrower than in the male. 
These points are admiral)ly shown in Mr. Goodchild's correct 
drawing, the accuracy of which I can vouch for, as I 
held the bird with open wing while he carefully painted in 
the colour areas. 
The Tail consists of sixteen feathers and is about 
the same length as the body, viz: 6 to 6| inches. Th0 
median feather is Ih inch longer than its fellows, the shortest 
of which appear to be 3 inches in length and the inter- 
mediates 3i inches. The tail feathers are bright olive green 
above and dull yellowish-olive below. The shaft is dark brown 
on the upper surface and olive on the under surface. 
The Feet present no peculiar features. They consist, 
of course, of four claws, two anteria and two proteria as in 
all the Zygodactyls, and are flesh-coloured. 
In conclusion I will add, that at present they birds 
are housed in a Parrot Cage, having one wing cut. It is 
very risky letting birds, which cannot fly, loose in an aviary, 
but as soon as the primaries are moulted out and grown I 
shall let therh loose and I am sure the spectacle will in- 
deed be a sight for the gods when viewed from beneath, and 
we shall form quite a different opinion of their characters 
and appreciate the marvellous beauty that a splendour -loving 
nature has endowed them with. 
As regards diet, they are very frugal and have the 
usual ordinary Parrot mixture on which they appear to thrive 
excellently. , , 
♦ 
My Weavers and Whydahs. 
By Sidney Williams, F.Z.S. 
For some years past I have devoted myself to collect- 
ing as many different species of these two allied groups as 
my purse would allow and the aviary accommodate. 
