The Natural History of Cage Birds. Bechstein Johann Matthäus

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СКАЧАТЬ bands have a shade of sky blue. The under part of the body is of a brilliant yellow, with some irregular red dashes and spots, which show its relation to the former bird. The base of the tail is green, like the neck of the water-duck; the rest of the wings and tail are like the male.

      Observations. – I have seen several of this superb species, which belonged to his Highness the Duke of Meiningen. It is a great pity that they are so wild, timid, and difficult to teach. Their note is a kind of chirping, which is rarely heard. Their feathers are as loose as the preceding species. They come from Botany Bay, and are very dear. Being more delicate, they require more attention than the other parroquets.

      THE WHISKERED PARROT

Psittacus bimaculatus, Sparrmann; Perruche à Moustache; Der Zweyfleckige, Sittich, Bechstein

      The length of this very beautiful parrot is fourteen inches, of which the tail measures more than half; its size is that of the turtle-dove, but very slender. The beak is large, orange-coloured, or pale blood red; the head of a fine ash colour, tinted with green on the top, and having a narrow black band on the forehead; the part near the eyes is naked, and pale flesh-coloured; the forehead light yellow; an almost triangular spot extends from the base of the beak across the cheeks to the throat; all the top of the body is meadow green, spotted with black. The under part of the body is of a deep rose colour.

      There is a variety of this species with a black beak.

      In the female, or what is supposed to be so, the forehead, the throat, the sides of the head and neck are pale orange colour; an oval black streak descends from the corners of the beak towards the throat; the nape, the top of the neck, the shoulders, back, rump, and upper part of the tail, are meadow green. The breast and belly, to the extremity, are of a fine green.

      Observations. – This bird is very docile, amiable, and talkative. Its mildness is very pleasing, and it is extremely affectionate and caressing. Its cry is “gaie, gaie, gaie.” It comes from the Islands of the Southern Ocean and Botany Bay.

      THE CARDINAL PARROT

Psittacus erythrocephalus, Linnæus; La Perruche cardinale; Der Cardinal Sittich, Bechstein

      The length of this species is twelve inches, of which the tail, which is very wedge-shaped, measures six and three quarters. The beak is peach blossom, and the naked membrane ash coloured, the iris orange, and the feet grey. All the head is violet, tinted with blue and red; a black band surrounds the neck; the throat is black, the upper part of the body dark green, the under part light green.

      In the female, the beak is yellow; the head of a dark blue ash-colour, without the ring round the neck; but the place of it is marked by a slight yellow tint. The young ones also have no ring, and the colour of the head is not marked; it varies from rose red to green.

      VARIETIES OF THE CARDINAL PARROT

      1. The Blossom-headed Parrakeet, Latham; Psittacus erythrocephalus, Linnæus; Perruche à tête rouge de Gingi, Buffon; Der Rothköpfige Sittich aus Gingi, Bechstein.

      The head is red, having on the back a mixture of light blue. A narrow black line passes from the chin to the nape of the neck; another line, of light green, below the former, forms with it a ring round the neck. The rest of the plumage is green, but the under part of the body has a tint of light yellow. The tail is green above, having the inner border light yellow.

      2. The Rose-headed Ring Parrakeet, Latham; Psittacus erythrocephalus Bengalensis, Linnæus; Petite Perruche à tête couleur de rose longs brins, Buffon; Der Rothköpfige Sittich aus Bengalen, Bechstein.

      The upper mandible is light yellow, the lower black, the membrane brownish. The top of the head and cheeks are rose coloured, the back of the head blue, the throat and ring like the preceding variety, as well as the red spot on the wing-coverts; the two centre feathers of the tail are blue, the others green, edged with blue.

      3. The Borneo Parrakeet; Psittacus erythrocephalus Borneus, Linnæus; Perruche à tête rouge de pêcher de Borneo; Der Rothköpfige Sittich aus Borneo, Bechstein.

      The upper mandible is red, the under black, the membrane ash-coloured, the iris the same; the whole head is peach-blossom, with a green tint on the forehead; there is a black line between the eyes, near the membrane of the beak; another extends from the lower mandible obliquely on each side of the neck, widening on the back. The upper part of the body to the tail is light green, shading to light yellow towards the middle of the wing-coverts; all the under part from the chin is peach blossom, tinged with chestnut colour; the feathers of the thighs, the tail-coverts, and the middle of the belly, are green; the feathers of the tail are the same, but the centre ones are rather brown, and all are spotted with white.

      Observations. – This parrakeet, so easily distinguished by its plumage, is lively, fearful, and its cry is frequent. It learns nothing of itself, and it is with great difficulty that it can be made to repeat a few words. I have seen it, with the preceding and following species, among the beautiful collection of birds belonging to his Highness the Duke of Meiningen.

      THE RED-HEADED GUINEA PARRAKEET

Psittacus Manillensis, Bechstein; Perruche à collier couleur de rose, Buffon; Der Manilische Sittich, Bechstein

      This beautiful species, whose colours are soft and the feathers thick and silky, is hardly larger than the thrush, though its length is from fourteen to fifteen inches, two-thirds of which are included in the tail. The naked membrane is flesh-coloured, the eyelids very red. The plumage is, in general, light green. From the black throat there extends a ring round the neck, which is black at first, and afterwards pale rose colour; the back of the neck in old birds has a blue tint.

      In the female the black of the throat is not so wide, there is no rose-coloured ring, and the under part of the body more nearly approaches yellow.

      Observations. – This species, which is very mild, tame, and beautiful, is a native of the Philippines, particularly Manilla; some say that it is also very common in Africa. It is very pleasing, certainly, but rarely learns to speak, and then only a few words. It must be treated like other delicate species.

      THE PAVOUAN PARROT

Psittacus Guianensis, Linnæus; La Perruche Pavouane, Buffon; Der Guianische Sittich, Bechstein

      This species is only twelve inches in length, including the tail, which measures six and a quarter, and has the two centre feathers three inches longer than the others. The upper part of the body is dark green, the under lighter. The cheeks are not spotted with bright red till the third year.

      Observations. – It is a native of Guiana, Cayenne, and the Caribbee Islands. Bird-sellers in Germany are generally provided with them, as they are not delicate or difficult to carry about. They must be treated like the former species.

      “This,” says Buffon, “is, of all parrots from the new continent, the most easily taught to speak; nevertheless it is only tractable in this particular, for even after a long captivity it still preserves a native wildness and ferocity, and is sometimes stubborn and ill-humoured. But as it has a lively eye, is neatly and well formed, it is admired for its shape.”

      THE ROSE-RINGED PARRAKEET

Psittacus pullarius, Linnæus; La Perruche à tête rouge, Buffon; Der Rothköpfige Guineische Sittich, Bechstein

      Bird-sellers give the name of Guinea-sparrow to this little parrakeet, which is not larger than the common crossbill. The beak is red, but pale at the tip, the membrane at the base ash colour, as well as the circle round the eyes. The feet are grey, the iris bluish; the front part of the head and throat are red; the edge of the wings and rump blue. The upper side of the tail feathers is СКАЧАТЬ