4 
Grass Parrakccts hi Capinnty. 
typical broad-tails, and will oidy stand bad weather when fully 
adult and in perfect plumage. They are extremely sensitive to 
septic fever infection, even the most thorough disinfection and 
scrupulous cleanliness may fail to provide a perfect safeguard. 
They have also a perfect mania, especially when newly-fiedged, 
for committing suicide by dashing themselves against glass or 
wire-netting, and will even succeed in bringing off this fatal 
exploit within the narrow limits of a three foot square cage. 
Lastly, as is common with Austrahan Parrakeets, the fertility of 
the cocks is readily impaired by lack of flying exercise and 
sunshine. 
It probably fell to my lot to own the very last living 
Turquoisine that will ever be seen in England. The species was 
once a common aviary bird and bred freely, but aviculturalists, 
with a stupidity which cannot adequately be described in polite 
language, allowed it to van'sh like the Paradise parrakeet 
(P. pulchcrrimus ) which is another lovely thing we shall never 
see again. A few years before the war a cock Turquoisine was 
sent me with some other grass parrakeets, but I did not keep 
him as his feet were bad; the price asked was exorbitant, and 
the chance of obtaining him a mate seemed nil; it would be 
interesting to know what became of him. A few months later, 
as luck would have it, I obtained a hen wdio lived for about two 
years. I did not dare to let her out for fear of septic fever, so 
kept her in a large cage with a cock Bluewing (N. vcnnsta). 
She made no attempt to nest, being, I think, rather an old bird. 
On the outbreak of war I was obliged to transfer most 
of my birds to the care of a friend who did not possess that 
invalual)le adjunct to a large collection, — " a hot room " for 
invalids; consequently when the Turquoisine caught a chill 
during the moult there was no means of saving her. 
Of Elegant Gra.ss Parrakeets (N. clcgans) I had three 
in my early avicultural days. One committed suicide in its cage, 
one died of septic fever; and one — a very tame cock, caught a 
chill when I unwisely turned him out with a cut wing. This 
species may be distinguished from its near relative vcnnsta by 
showing less blue on the wing where the feathers also are of 
