250 TlMEHRI. 
in reality, it is a most useful bird, delighting in destroying 
vermin. The funnel-like arrangement of feathers, in the 
centre of which the eyes are placed, and the small 
hooked beak are marked chara6lers of the owls. The 
various antics and performances of the living barn owl, 
when confined, are most ridiculous and amusing. 
Of the order of the Psittaci ) including the parrots and 
macaws, and the colonial parrakeets and love-birds, 
several forms are shewn in the upper part of the case. 
The macaws (Ara) are very large and long-tailed birds, 
and they possess a large bare patch around the eyes : the 
parrakeets are long-tailed, but are more feathered around 
the eyes: the parrots are large birds with short and 
broad tails ; while the love-birds (Psittacula) are only 
very small parrots. Several specimens of macaws are 
shewn, brilliant with blue, red, and yellow feathers 
These feathers are utilised by the Indians in their various 
feather ornaments. The parrots are generally green, 
but this colour is often varied by streaks and patches of 
blue, red and yellow T , seen to great advantage in the hia- 
hia or sun-parrot exhibited. This form (Deroptyus 
accipitrinus) , which is also known as the hawk-parrot — 
so called on account of its haw r k-like beak — possesses a 
brilliant ere6lile crest, or circlet, of red and blue barred 
feathers, and when this is raised like a Queen ELIZABETH'S 
ruff, the bird shines forth like a blaze of beauty. The 
order of Psittaci is well characterised by the large 
and thick, curved bills, strongly curved and notched at 
the tip, and by the form of the feet, of which two toes 
are directed forwards and two backwards, thus making a 
very perfefcl climbing organ — hence the old name (Scan- 
sores) of the order. 
