Psittacus Novoe Zelandioe, Russ. Synonyms: Cyanoramphus Novoe Zelandioe, Snc;

New Zealand Parrakeet.

New Zealand Parrakeet.

Cyanoramphus Novoe Ouineoe, Bp.; Cyanoramphus auclcmdicus, Bp.;

Euphema Novoe Zeelandioe, Mus. B. P.;

Lathamus Sparrmanni, Lss.; Psittacus pacificus, Beyneri, Cooki, Gb.;

Platycercus pacificus, Vgrs. Gebman: Der Ziegensittich.

NEW ZEALAND contains a number of ornithological curiosities among its peculiar fauna, and although the subject of the present notice can scarcely be classed among them, it is still a sufficiently remarkable bird to merit a little attention, which, indeed, it has already received at the hand of writers on the subject of Natural History, as witness the formidable array of scientific names bestowed upon it, to which we might have added several more, but that we considered it quite sufficiently burdened as it is.

As regards plumage, Cyanoramphus presents nothing very striking to attract the observer's notice, while its capacity for acquiring knowledge is not excessive; its disposition, if shy, painfully so in point of fact, is decidedly gentle and pleasing, and it has a rather agreeable voice, which it can modulate into a passable imitation of articulate sounds; its own wild notes, however, are sufficiently agreeable, and it can sing a peculiar kind of song, which has been likened by its German admirers to the notes of a hurdy-gurdy of superior construction, much modified by distance, as well as to the vocalization, under similar conditions, of our ancient acquaintance Punch of puppet-show notoriety; whence the names of Kladderadats-Sittich bestowed upon it by its Teutonic friends, in addition to the appellation of Ziegensittich, by which it is more generally known in Germany.

When first imported these birds are decidedly delicate, and numbers of them die before they become acclimatised, but once they have recovered from the effects of the voyage, and have become accustomed to their new food and surroundings, they got on quite as well as any of the Australian Parrots, Parrakeets, or Lories, with which we are acquainted.

Dark green is the prevailing colour of the plumage in these birds, but the forehead, cheeks and rump are red; the flight feathers of the wings are blue, and a few slight shades of the same colour appear in different parts of the body, especially in certain lights.

The female is rather larger than the male, which is about the size of the Rosella, and the red in her plumage is of a duller Shade than in the case of her mate.

As its English name implies, this bird is a native of New Zealand: it passes a good deal of time upon the ground, hence its legs are long, the wings short, and the feet have no great prehensile power, although the bird makes good use of one of them, usually the left, for holding up its food: the beak, too, is slight, and better adapted for eating grass seeds, than maize or hard corn.

The nest is made in a hollow branch, and four or five white eggs are laid on the bare wood, and hatched in about eighteen days: a recent number of Dr. Russ's Die gefiederte Welt contained an account of a brood of these birds, that had been successfully reared in Germany; the first instance of their reproductiveness in Europe with which we are acquainted: they are reported to be insectivorous in their habits, but this we doubt; none of the specimens we have seen would touch anything of the kind, but lived chiefly on canary seed, which they were fond of scratching up with their feet at the bottom of the cage in which they were kept.

They are very gentle birds, and well deserve the epithet pacificus, given to them by Latham, Vieillot, and other writers. They are not able even to protect themselves from their stronger-billed congeners, and should not be enclosed with any of the Platycerci, Cockatoos or larger Parrots; on the other hand, they will not molest the tiniest Finches, which evince no fear of them, but, emboldened by the gentleness of their habits, scruple not to play all kinds of tricks upon them, which the New Zealanders treat with good-humoured contempt: thus when one of these birds approaches the seed-pan, where a Canary, Java Sparrow, Silver-beak, or even an Avadavat is occupied in eating, and the latter opens its beak and scolds, as the manner of these birds is to do, Cyanoramphus turns him about, though never so hungry, and patiently waits to satisfy his appetite until the coast is clear.

So gentle, peaceable, and loveable a bird ought to be a general favourite, and is with every one who knows him, so that we expect before long to find him one of the commonest of cage pets.

As we have said, his voice is peculiar, but not disagreeable, resembling somewhat the subdued bleating of a young goat, whence his German name of Ziegensittich. The female is a very silent bird, and beyond a faint squeak, or bleat, now and then, we have not heard her make any kind of noise.

When first imported these birds should be fed on oats, part of which should be boiled before being given to them: many of them will also eat crumb of bread steeped for a few minutes in cold water, and then squeezed nearly dry; they drink a good deal, and should always have access to a free supply of clean water.

Green food must be given sparingly at first, as they are apt to eat it so greedily as to bring on diarrhaea: after a time they can be accustomed to canary seed as their general diet, adding oats and hemp seed now and then as a variety.

Sometimes they are imported in large numbers, and can then be bought cheaply; at other times they are scarce, and barely to be had at any price.

The Hon. And Rev. F. G. Dutton's Account Of The New Zealand Parrakeet (Cyanoramphus Novae Zealandiae)

This bird resembles the Pennant's Parrakeet in its habits: it is shy and gentle, a quiet bird, and very fond of bathing. I have known three, of which two were talkers, but none of them tame enough to allow themselves to be handled. The two that talked said several sentences, but did not pick up anything fresh. They are very attractive cage-birds for any one who likes quiet birds, but they are rather wanting in character. I dare say they would breed readily in an aviary, and then, if any one would be at the pains to rear the young by hand, I think they would make the most delightful pets. Mine eat hemp and canary seed, and had plain water.