t iìl ' I
' il"
s.
¡•ijl
ir:-
I ì
i
,11
I I t
, i, I
ili
l i
PARROT FINCH, i .
f^È/yl'ArL'j-'X psitiaceaj
P i N - ' I i i i l L ED NOTXTPARE:"^ . 5. $,
fl'.rylArura, jsrascnaj ^
T H E PARROT FINCH.
Ervthrura f,ùttacca, GsiEL.
i LOVELY little bird and an inliabitaiit of New Caledonia. Coming from this
remote localit)', it naturally commands so liigli a price, tliat it is only \\'ithin
the reach of fairly well-to-do amateurs. Whether it will ever be imported - in
sufficient numbers to enable the less wealthy purchaser to add it to his collection,
seems doubtful. The adnlt male above is bright grass green, including the upper
wing-coverts and inner secondaries ; the remaining flight-feathers are dull brown,
\\-ith greenish edges, those of the primaries being yellower; the hinder back,
upper tail-coverts, forehead, eyebrow, sides of face, ear-coverts, throat and front of
neck carmine red; remainder of body below grass-green; tail feathers blackish,
with dull crimson margins ; under mng coverts pale yellow ; flights below dusky,
with yellowish along the inner webs. Length 4Ì inches. Beak bro^vnish black,
feet smoky brown ; iris dark brown. Sexes alike.
Dr. Russ says ;—" Wiener in 1S77 came into possession of three examples,
which soon made themselves at home in a large flight-cage and appeared sprightly
and sociable, more agile and graceful than the allied species (The Pintailed
Nonpareil). They also soon built a nest ; Laying, four eggs ; incubated and fledged
four young. A'est in a high-hanging Hartz cage wdth entrance hole, of Aloe
fibres, with deep overarched cup. Several broods followed in succession. Vonng
phunaoc pale greenish-brown without red colouring on the head and breast ; only
faint red at the base of the beak; beak yellow, feet bright yellowish grey. At
the age of about three months; searlet-red dots on the head, throat and breast,
which became more distinct from week to week. Mr. Wiener sent a young one
of the first brood to the exhibition of the " Ornis " Society of Berlin in 1877.*
Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha informed me that he had already seen a
pair in 1873 belonging to Monsieur Geoffrey St. Llilaire of Paris. He purchased
two pairs from Mr. Wiener, each for 100 Marks (a little under /s). A more
Wiener sav.s that Ihe three others were aeeidentalh- killed.
I
i h l
J