CLASS II. AVES: ORDER 3. SCANSORES. 
221 
lowish-green ; easily taught to speak, whistle, and imitate the cries of birds and animals ; it is, 
however, excessively noisy, and sometimes becomes very wearisome on this account. 
The Red and Blue-headed Parrakeet, P. 
cunicularis, is ten inches long; prevailing color 
grass-green ; native of South America ; a hand- 
some species, but never learns to speak well. 
cardinalis^ twelve 
The Cardinal Parrot, P. 
inches long ; head violet, tinged with blue and 
red ; a black band around the neck ; upper part 
of the body dark green ; lower part light green. 
There are several varieties, as the Blossom-head- 
ed Parrakeet^ Rose-headed Ring Parrakeet^ and 
Bornean Parrakeet. They are noisy birds, but 
cannot be taught to speak, and are only valued 
for their beauty ; found in India. 
The Little Rose-ringed Parrakeet, P.pul- 
larius — called Gruinea-Sparroxo by the bird-sell- 
ers — is but six inches long, the size of a cedar- 
bird ; general color green ; their cry is unpleas- 
ant, and they cannot be taught to speak ; but they 
are affectionate to each other and are beautiful 
and pleasing; natives of Guinea, India, and Java. 
The Little Blue and Green Parrakeet, P. 
passerinus, four inches long, size of a sparrow ; 
general color green ; rump blue ; cannot speak ; 
native of Brazil and Guiana. The two preceding 
belong to the genus Psittacula or Love-Birds, 
having short, square tails. 
The AVarbling Grass Parrakeet, Melopsit- 
tacus undulatus, is found in large flocks in Aus- 
tralia, where they feed on the seeds of grasses ; 
they are minute, elegant creatures, with loug tails, 
and instead of a screech, have a soft, warbling note. 
The" Ground Parrakeet, Pezoporusformosus, of the same regions, is a foot long; beautifully 
colored with green, black, and brown ; lives entirely on 
the ground. The JSfymphilus Novce Hollandice is also 
one of the grotmd parrakeets, of the same size as the 
preceding ; general color yellow ; so abundant in Aus- 
tralia that, as Mr. Gould tells us, a gentleman shot two 
hundred in a single excursion. 
The Pigmy '^iicnosvixi AyMicrosp)ittapygmcea^ is four 
inches long ; green above and yellow below ; the tail 
brown. It is said to be the smallest of parrots ; found 
in the Polynesian islands. 
THE COCKATOOS. 
The Great White Crested Cockatoo, PZ^/c/o/opAws 
cristatus, is seventeen inches long; the whole plumage 
white, except some slight patches of sulphur-color ; the 
crest on the head five inches long, and is elevated or 
depressed at will. It is generally kept in a large, ball- 
shaped wire cage, provided with two perches and a 
large metal ring, in which it likes to swing. It is very 
tame and gentle, but is taught to speak with difficulty ; 
a native of the Moluccas. 
NTMPHILTJS NOV^ HOLLANDIiE. 
LOVE-BIRD. 
