THE



Avicultural Magazine


THE JOURNAL OF THE

AVICULTURAL SOCIETY



Fifth Series. —VoL III.— No. 6. —All rights reserved. JUNE, 1938.



THE WESTERN GOLDEN-HEADED DWARF


PARROT


(Cruopsitta desmarestii occidentalis)


By Lord Tavistock


The consignment of seven Desmarest’s Dwarf Parrots recently

brought over by Mr. J. C. Frost introduced a species entirely new

to aviculture, a description of which is rendered unnecessary by the

excellent plate which accompanies this article.


There is always a great excitement and interest about seeing for

the first time in the living state a bird previously only known to one

as a museum skin, and sub-generically quite distinct from anything

one has ever kept.


In size and build Desmarest’s Dwarf Parrots are not very unlike

some of the Poiocephali, especially Meyers’ Parrot, but there the resem¬

blance ends for, in spite of its lack of a brush tongue, in voice and

movements the Dwarf Parrot is almost a typical Lorikeet.


The food appears to consist almost entirely of fruit ; my birds

eat apple, pear, grapes, and banana, on which latter they were, I

believe, imported. They drink a little Lorikeet’s food (Dr. Allinson’s),

but I have a strong suspicion that they would get on perfectly well

without it. Seed they will not look at, although they like barking

the green twigs of a sycamore branch ; are very fond of mealworms ;


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