THE



Avicultural Magazine


THE JOURNAL OF THE

AVICULTURAL SOCIETY



Fourth Series. —Vol. XIII.—No. 5. —All rights reserved. MAY, 1935



THE PRINCESS OF WALES’S PARRAKEET


By Edward Boosey


The Princess of Wales’s is sometimes called Queen Alexandra’s

Parrakeet, but I prefer the first of these names, as Gould originally

called it after the Princess of Wales before she became Queen Alexandra.


The bird is appropriately named, for no other Parrakeet possesses

■quite such a combination of charm and elegance as does the subject

of Mr. Rowland Green’s extremely beautiful and accurate plate.

The latter renders a detailed description of the bird’s shape and colouring

unnecessary, and one need merely add that, unlike some birds, its

■disposition is every bit as delightful as its appearance.


The cock bird’s display is the most spirited and amusing perform¬

ance, during which he rushes about, uttering excited cries, and periodi¬

cally jerking his head up and down, as though it were controlled by

an invisible wire from above. At the same time, he erects a tiny

opalescent'shield of feathers on his forehead, and rapidly expands and

■contracts the pupils of his tawny-orange eyes. All this is, of course,

usually done for the benefit of his wife, but most cocks are equally

willing to display in order to welcome and entertain their human

friends.


These Parrakeets are generally quite devoid of fear, though one

pair we have here at Keston, though not in the least timid, is rather

'less tame than most. A second pair instantly fly on to my shoulders



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