PARRAKEETS 
47 
but does not readily become tame. The principal colour is deep 
green, the male only has the head and breast silver-grey (hence 
the dealer's name), the female is practically all green. Size 7 
to 8 in. long ; stoutly built. 
The Cockateel {Calopsittacus iiova-hollandia). A native of 
.\ustralia ; is rather soberly clad in deep ash grey, paler under- 
neath ; a white curv'ed band extends from the shoulders over the 
greater wing coverts, ear coverts brick red. The male has the 
sides of the face primrose yellow. Sexual distinctions : the 
female is minus the primrose face of the male, hers being grey 
more or less suffused with yellow ; the under side of her tail is 
yellow and white on grey ground, that of the male is black. 
They nest in the holes of the branches of native trees, and feed 
principally on the native grasses. Two broods are produced in 
the season, but in the aviary they breed all the year round, 
except during the moult. Hardy, long-lived, docile, soon 
become tame. Size 12 to 14 in. long ; stoutish build, but length 
of tail gives a slender appearance. 
The Turquosine {Neophema pulcheUa). Natives of Australia, 
where they nest in the hollow branches of trees and feed princi- 
pally on the seeds of the native grasses. 
This is a very handsome parrakeet, principally green and 
blue above and greenish yellow below ; forehead, eye stripe, 
shoulders and lesser wing coverts greenish-blue ; head, neck, 
back dark green ; outer tail feathers spotted with yellow ; pri- 
maries and secondaries intense blue on their outer but dark 
brown on their inner webs ; throat and upper breast yellowish- 
green ; lower breast, abdomen, under tail coverts light orange- 
yellow ; beak and legs dark brown. Sexual distinctions : the 
male has a patch of red on each shoulder which is absent in the 
female. The young also have this distinction in their nest 
feathers. Size 12 in. long and of slender build. 
t Blood rumped Parrakeet {Psephotus hamatonotiis). While 
not so gorgeous as some of its congeners it is of a beautiful 
appearance ; head, neck and breast emerald green, the green 
of the neck and breast being suffused with yellow ; wing coverts 
blue green tipped with yellow giving two curved lines acrdss 
each wing ; shoulders blue ; flights dark brown, with outer 
webs bright blue ; back brown-red ; rump blood-red ; abdomen 
and vent bright yellow ; tail centre feathers green merging into 
blue ; side feathers white and bluish ; beak horn-colour ; legs 
brown. 
Natives of south and south-east Australia, where they nest in 
the spouts and branches of the gum trees [Eucalypti) spending 
most of their time on the ground searching for grass and other 
seeds, not refusing any insects they come across. The eggs 
usually number five or six. Size 12 to 13 in. long and stoutly 
built. 
I The Rosella [Platycercus eximus). Natives of Australia, 
where they nest usually in the hollow branches or trunks of 
gum and acacia trees. Breeding season October to January ; 
