Bim-NEOEED OB BENGAL PABBAKEET. 
61 
They are often capricious: sometimes they like or dislike a whole 
sex; sometimes they are guided solely by individual preferences. I 
had a most accomplished cock-bird once, but all his affection was 
reserved for ladies: a man coukl never trust him; ho might be polite 
for a moment, but when he got his chance, he would give a most 
vicious bite. I know a hen at this moment who will let men handle 
her, but will bite any woman. 
With regard to the sexes, as a rule the hens are impartially vicious, 
and they learn much less than the cocks, while they scream quite as 
much. 
Some of the birds will learn fresh sentences after one buys them. 
One I bought in Paris, forgot nearly all its French after I parted with 
it, and became a good English talker, I was told. But, as a rule, 
birds which speak at command do not add to their knowledge. I 
shall have more to say on this subject under the head of the Double- 
fronted Amazon. 
Bengal Parrakeets are very hardy — I do not recollect ever having 
had one ailing. But if I had, I should treat them with a regimen of 
great warmth. It is wonderful what heat all the tropical Parrots can 
bear, and what excellent results it has. They are very fond of washing, 
and should always have a good bath provided. 
They are not good birds to turn loose out of doors. All the Palce- 
ornis tribe are very powerful on the wing, and seem to have but little 
homing instinct. They take considerable flights, and unless one happens 
to see which way they have gone, they are apt to lose themselves. 
I have no doubt that if they were fed, they could live at liberty all 
the year round in our climate. One, Palceornis schistkeps, is found in 
the snow limit of the hills. 
What I have said about the Bengal Parrakeet may be taken as 
applying to the Senegal Parrakeet. This, though smaller than the 
Bengal, and slenderer, with a dark bill instead of a rosy one, has 
precisely the same merits and the same fault of noisiness. They are 
not so common in England as the Bengal, but in Prance they are 
much commoner. Pity that so small a bird should have so loud a 
scream. The Senegal has a smaller voice in speaking than the Bengal. 
We cannot quite agree with our friend Mr. Dutton here: the Senegal 
Parrot is not the Eing-necked Parrakeet, whether African or Indian, 
but a perfectly distinct species, called by Dr. Euss Der Mohrenkopf- 
Papagei [Psittacus Senegalus) : it is of much less frequent occurrence 
in this country than Palceornis torquatus, nor does it belong to the 
