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 red, the under has a black streak, the tip is green; the two centre feathers are entirely green, like the rest of the body.
In the female, the colours are the same, though lighter, and the lower part of the wing is yellow.
These birds may be found in any part of the torrid zone in the old world, from Guinea to India. As most of them died on the voyage, there were formerly very few of them in Europe, but as the means of preserving them is now better known, most bird-sellers have them. Though they cannot learn to speak, and their cry is rather disagreeable, yet one cannot help admiring them as much for their beauty as their great mildness. They are so much attached to each other that they must always be had in pairs, and if one dies the other rarely survives it. Some people think that a mirror hung in the cage, in which the survivor may imagine that it still sees its lost companion, will console it. The male remains affectionately near the female, feeds her, and gives her the most tender caresses; she, in her turn, shows the greatest uneasiness if she be separated from him for an instant. In the countries which this species inhabits, it makes great havoc among the corn. In Europe it is fed on canary seed, millet, and white bread soaked in boiled milk.
THE CAROLINA PARROT.
Psittacus Carolinensis, Linnæus[26]; La Perruche à tête jaune, Buffon, pl. enl. 499; Der Carolinische Sittich, Bechstein.
This bird is about the size of a turtle-dove; its length is thirteen inches, of which the tail measures at least half. The beak is as white as ivory, the membrane and naked circle of the eyes, as well as the feet and claws, greyish white; the front of the head of a beautiful orange, the back, the nape of the neck, and the throat, light yellow; the rest of the neck, the back, breast, belly, and sides, are green; the tail is green, and very wedge-shaped.
Observations.—A native of Guiana; this pretty parrot also breeds in Carolina, and sometimes even penetrates into Virginia in large flocks during the fruit season, making great ravages among the nuts, of which it only eats almonds, rejecting all others. It is frequently brought to Europe; and in Paris it is the species of parrot which costs the most. It is fed, says Buffon, on hemp seed; but it is better to add white bread soaked in water, or boiled milk which is not sour, wheat, Indian corn, and the like. Its cry is frequent; it is rather wicked, and does not speak; but it well makes up for this by its beauty, the elegance of its form, its graceful movements, and its strong and almost exclusive attachment to its mistress; it likes to hang by the beak, even while sleeping, and will let itself be carried thus every where without moving for a very long time.