262 The Marquess of Tavistock—Breeding of Yellow-bellied Parrakeet


excess of hemp that six months of complete liberty on wild food, only,

failed to cure him ! He recovered, however, during the next moult.


In size the Yellow-bellied Parrakeet is fully as large as the Pennant.

The upper parts of the body are olive green with darker markings and

there is some blue in the wings and tail. Part of the head and neck

and the entire breast are lemon yellow, sometimes pure, sometimes

tinged with olive green or streaked with orange. A cock Yellow-belly

whose breast-colour is clear is a very handsome, though not gaudy

bird. The most beautiful specimen I ever owned was bred by

Monsieur Decoux, whose success in rearing this Parrakeet has never

been approached by any other aviculturalist. The cheek patches are

blue, as in Pennant’s Parrakeet, and there is a red frontal band. Hens

are very similar in colour to cocks but their heads and beaks are so

much smaller that they are easy to sex. Young birds in first plumage

differ from the adult in having the breast dark olive green with only

a slight trace of yellow on the cheeks and throat. The dark markings

on the wings are also greener and are less pronounced. The bill is the

same fleshy horn colour seen in young Pennant’s.


The commonest call-note of the Yellow-bellied Parrakeet resembles

the word “ Kossuk ” ! In addition each bird normally possesses one or

two liquid whistling notes or phrases in the character of which there

is much individual variation, as is usual with other members of the

family. My hen has learned the whistle of a former husband but rarely

uses it when in the company of a mate.


This lady has been in my possession nearly twelve years, but on

only one previous occasion—i.e. in 1932—has she laid. For some reason,

poor thing, she does not appear to captivate the heart of the opposite

sex ! Not being a cock Yellow-belly, I cannot say exactly why she

fails to charm, but until recently it is a sad fact that more than one

gentleman has either been mildly bored by her or actuated by a feeling

of downright contempt. One cock I had with her at Warblington

tolerated her and very occasionally fed her, but it was evident that she

had no real place in his heart. When at liberty, instead of coming to

see her at frequent intervals as a well-behaved Broadtail husband

should do, he rarely went near her aviary and turned a deaf ear to her

lonely whistles. Throughout the' winter he led a wandering existence,



