Pionus Le Vaillantii. - Wagler.

Pionus Le Vaillantii, Wagler, Mon. Psitt. in Abhand. etc. pp. 499, 614 - Psittacus robustus, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. p. 94. - Psittacus Le Vaillantii, Lath. Sup.; Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 83. - Psittacus infuscatus, Shaw's Zool. viii. p. 523. - Peroquet a franges souci, Le Vaill. Tab. 130 et 131 - Robust Parrot, Lath. Syn. i. pp. 296, 100 - Damask Parrot, Shaw's Zool. viii. 523.

This is an African species, inhabiting, at a certain period, the eastern parts of that continent, as high as latitude 32° It was first discovered and figured by Le Vaillant, who informs us, that it only resides in the woods, in the latitude above mentioned, during the season of reproduction, quitting them for warmer districts on the approach of the rainy season, after it has reared its young; and that, during these migratory movements, the flocks fly so high as to be beyond the reach of sight, though their screams or call-notes can still be heard. As usual in this family, the hollow of a tree is the receptacle for the eggs, which are four in number, in size equal to those of a pigeon, and which are incubated alternately by both sexes. The young, when first hatched, are naked, but soon become covered with greyish down. Their plumage is not perfected till after an interval of six weeks, and they remain a considerable time longer in the nest, during which they are fed by the parents, who disgorge in the manner of pigeons. In an interesting detail of their habits, he observes that they are remarkably fond of bathing, and are observed to fly everyday, and at the same hour, to the water for this purpose. The hours of feeding are also very regular, and the whole day is distributed by rule - a fact we have observed to prevail among other birds. At dawn of day, the whole flight of each district assembles, and alights with much noise on one or more dead trees, according to the size of the flock, and there, displaying their wings to the first rays of the sun, recal to mind the idea of some ancient race, of simple manners, assembled on some hill to chaunt a hymn in honour of the God of Day. The reason, however, of this assembly of the parrots, is to warm and dry their plumage, moistened and chilled by the dews of night, which in these regions is often cold, and always damp. When once warmed, and their plumage dry, they arise in small flocks, and fly around in quest of their favourite fruit, a kind of cherry, the stone of which they break, in order to obtain the kernel. This their morning's meal continues till about 10 or 11 o'clock, at which time all the separate flocks fly to the water to bathe. When the heat of day commences, they again seek the deep recesses of the woods, in order to enjoy the refreshment of the shade ; and at this time they keep a silence so profound, that not a sound shall be heard by a person sitting beneath a tree, though the branches above be crowded with legions of parrots; but on the report of a gun, the whole flock fly off with the rapidity of lightning, with a confused mixture of the most discordant screams.

When this their time of rest is elapsed, they again disperse, in order to obtain their second or evening meal; after which, all the flocks of the whole district reassemble with much noise and animation, and this is the signal for their second visit to the water, which is often far distant, as only the purest will please them. They are then seen confusedly and playfully rolling over each other on the margins of the pool, at times dipping their heads and wings into the water, in such a manner as to scatter it all over their plumage, and exhibiting a most entertaining spectacle to the observer. This ceremonial being finished, they revisit the trees on which they assembled at sunrise, where they sit for some time engaged in adjusting and pruning their feathers. This finished, they fly off in pairs, each pair retiring to its peculiar roost, where they rest till morning.

The bill is large, the culmen biangulate, the to-miae sinuated, but not distinctly toothed; its colour whitish. The head, neck, and breast are of an olive green colour, deepest upon the forehead and crown; the lores or space between the bill and eyes black. The mantle, scapulars, and wing-coverts are brownish-black, the feathers margined with green. The lower back, upper tail-coverts, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, emerald green. The ridge of the wings and thighs are bright reddish-orange. The quills and tail brownish-black, slightly tinged with green. Legs and toes grey.

In addition to Wagler's genera Psittacodis, Eclec-tus, and Pionus, which contain the other larger species of the short even-tailed Parrots, we are inclined to place in this subfamily several small species, which, in Kuhl's Conspectus, form a portion of his section Psittacula, and are also included in Wagler's more restricted genus of the same name. Both of these groups are, however, so constituted, as to embrace birds of dissimilar form and habits, and widely separated in regard to their geographical distribution. In some, as those inhabiting the islands of the Pacific, the bill is slender and weak, as in the Lories: the tongue is also supposed to be furnished with delicate papillae. These we have little hesitation in placing in that subfamily. Others have the bill powerful and thick, with the upper mandible strongly toothed; the wings long, and the tail short, and nearly even. To this group, the Psittacus Swinde-rianus of Kuhl, and the Psittacus Malaccensis, Lath., appear to belong. For the present, the title of Aga-pornis is given to them, though it is not unlikely that a farther division may be required, when their habits and economy are better known. The only illustration we can give of these diminutive Parrots is that of Swindern's Love-Bird.