Psittacus senegalus, Linn., Lthm., Khl., etc. Synonyms: Psittacus senegalensis, Br.; Psittacus Versteri, Gff.;

Senegal Parrot.

Psittacula senegalensis, Brss.; Pionus senegalus, Wgl.;

Poicephalus senegalensis, Swns.; oiocephalus senegalus et senegalensis, Hrtl.; Phoeocephalus senegalensis, Bp.; Pionias senegalus, Fnsch.

German: Der Mohrenkopf-Papagei, Russ.

N different parts of the world, Africa, America, and Asia, are to be found birds which have received their names from the fact of eir being possessed of black heads, but the species now before us, known in Europe from the most remote period", as Dr. Buss says, is a handsome bird", and by far the most desirable of them all as pet.

"These birds", to quote further from Dr. Russ's description, "must reckoned among those which have been known in Europe from the rliest times; at present they are regular guests in all the Zoological ardens, and tolerably frequent at the dealers. The first pair which kept in my bird-room were indescribably wild and obstinate; at every approach or even the least movement on the part of the observer they tered disagreeable piercing shrieks, and every attempt to tame them oved fruitless. However, they took possession of a nesting-box, at st probably as a place of refuge in their timidity and wildness, and mmenced nesting. Three very round and disproportionately small gs were laid, but were soon eaten up by the male; and when the n laid again and commenced sitting, the monster bit her dead and awed her skull.

"This Black-headed Parrot, however, was so handsome that I could it make up my mind to get rid of him; and when, after some onths of solitude and at least partial taming, I gave him a second hen, he proved much more amiable: they did not, however, breed.

"Sometimes a young Black-headed Parrot will become very tame, and, according to a communication from Herr Von Schlechtendal, also very amiable; while others assert that he learns to speak a little. From fear and nervousness he utters a curious grating sound, but when greatly terrified a shrill, whistling scream. During the breeding season he executes a strange love-dance." - Handbook, page 246-7.

To a friend, Mrs. Cassirer, of Paris, we are indebted for the following translation from the same author's Die Sprechenden Papageien, of a further account of the bird under consideration: -

"The Orange-bellied Long-winged Parrot, (Psittacus senegalus, L., Mohrenkopf-Papagei, Perroquet de Senegal, Perroquet a tete noire, Senegal Langvleugel-Papegaai,) the pretty Mohrenkopf, as it is almost exclusively termed, belongs to the commonest birds of commerce, and reaches us regularly every year in considerable numbers. It must also be included among those birds which have long been known to us, for it is mentioned in 1445 by Aloysius Cada Mosto, and described by Brisson in 1760.

"The adult male bird is either brownish or blackish grey on the head, cheeks, and upper part of the throat; the back, rump, and upper tail coverts are glossy grass green, the pinions olive green brown; the wing coverts green with brown centres; the shoulders and small wing coverts on the under side are yellow; the tail, and all the rest of the upper side are bright grass green, which is also the colour of the throat and upper breast; the remainder of the under side is yellow; the breast and belly are orange, or the colour of red-lead; the under tail coverts are yellow; the beak is dark horn grey, merging into blackish brown; the cere is blackish, the iris sulphur yellow, to dark brown; a blackish ring of naked skin surrounds the eye, the feet are blackish brown, and the nails black.

"The female has the head a light brownish grey, her underside is a uniform yellow, without any orange red; her under tail coverts are yellowish green; and in other respects she resembles the male, but is smaller; in size she scarcely equals a Daw. Length 26 - 28 c, wings 14.5 - 15.7 c, tail 5.7 to 6.7 c.

"Habitat West Africa and Senegambia, but probably extends deep into Central Africa. Very little information has been received hitherto as to its mode of life while at liberty. In families of about six in number they frequent the gigantic monkey-bread trees, and betray themselves at every approach by piercing screams. Though awkward at rising up, and settling down, they fly swift as arrows. The mode of nidification has not yet been observed. After the nesting season they wander about, and at times do considerable damage to the banana, rice, maize, etc., crops.

"The Black-headed Parrot is chiefly important as an ornamental bird for zoological gardens, or particular amateurs. Although the earlier authors unite in declaring that these birds have no power of speech, the contrary has been proved in many cases; of late, accounts have been given of specimens which had learned to speak. Such descriptions have been recorded by Herr Von Schlechtendal in Merseburg, and Herr Fielder in Agram, and also by Herr A. E. Blaauw.

"Old birds of this kind are extremely wild and unmanageable; amid piercing screams he flings himself head downwards at every approach, squeezes himself into a corner, and utters a curious grating noise; young birds, however, are soon tamed and are very docile. One of these birds was able to open every door, and was fond of playing, and extremely droll, also very good-tempered and confiding, permitting his head to be scratched, allowing himself to be taken out of the cage and caressed, but he only learned to speak a few words, though he imitated the notes of other birds.

"Herr Blaauw relates that his Black-headed Parrot spoke French very prettily, very distinctly and softly. 'It has a strange effect, when he mixes the different words and sentences with his natural notes, and thus screams with articulate sounds.'

"Immediately after importation, even this otherwise strong and hardy Parrot has shown itself to be very delicate, at least of late: he is apt to fall ill on every change of diet, especially, it seems, if too lavishly supplied with hemp. At first therefore it should receive only canary seed and oats, and later, by degrees, hemp and sunflower seeds. A small supply of sound, sweet fruit is also necessary.

"A freshly-imported Black-headed Parrot can be bought at from fifteen to twenty shillings; tame ones from twenty to thirty shillings. I cannot name a price for a speaker, since such must still be considered as rarities, and scarcely obtainable in the trade."

As we write these birds are offered very cheaply in the English market, namely at prices ranging from five to six shillings a piece, and are chiefly imported via Liverpool, where they sometimes arrive in immense numbers; but as they are mostly quite young, very many of them die soon after arrival, especially when purchased singly.

Owing to the fact that the name of Senegal Parrot, Perroquet de Senegal, has been given to several birds, a certain amount of confusion exists as to the identity of each; but the Mohrenkopf is, we consider, more justly entitled to the designation than the other species which are described by several authors under the name which, following the example of Dr. Russ, we have preferred to restrict to that under consideration.

The name of Senegal Parrot, or Parrakeet, is very often given to the black-beaked African variety of the Ring-necked Parrakeet, Psit-tacus torquatus, var. docilis, but erroneously so, in our opinion, as it is much more appropriately bestowed upon the subject of the present notice, which really belongs to that part of the "dark" continent, whence it is occasionally imported in considerable numbers via Havre and Bordeaux: there is, at present, only one representative of this species in the Gardens of the London Zoological Society, where, on the whole, the Parrot race is very inadequately represented, and the worst accommodated of all the animals belonging to their collection: but now that attention has been called to the subject, let us hope that the Society will exert itself to cause the speedy removal of an approbrium that does much to mar the reputation they have justly obtained in other branches of Natural History: it is true, as our colleague has remarked, that the Zoological Society is not une Soeiete d' Acclimatation; but nevertheless they should do something to enhance the comfort of the poor Parrots committed to their charge: they have handsomely provided for the obscene apes and monkeys of their collection, and more recently for the snakes and crocodiles, and it is only fair that the Parrots should have their turn, and we sincerely hope that, for the poor creatures' own sakes, it may come ere long.