Psittacus eximius, Shw.

Rosella, Rosella Parrot (Ger., Bunter Plattschweifsittich, Bunt-sittich, Rosella, gemeiner Buntsittich, Omnikolor, gricnburzeliger Plattschweifsittich, wunderlicherweise Allfarbsittich oder blos Allfarb; Fr., Perruche omnicolore; Dut., Groenstuit of Rose Hill of Rosille Parkiet) - Capacity for Speech - Description - Habitat - History in Captivity - Selection.

One of the most magnificently coloured of all parrots, the well-known Rose Hill Parrakeet, usually called the Rosella, had, till lately, been accounted anything but intelligent, and, in spite of the gorgeous splendour of its plumage, was no great favourite. It has, however, proved to be capable of speech, and on that account it will, without doubt, attain unexpected importance, at least in the eyes of the bird fancier. Discovered by Phillips and White in 1789-90, it was described and scientifically named by Shaw in 1812. Levaillant, in 1805, drew the portrait of a live Rosella which was in the possession of Madame Buonaparte.

It is scarlet on the forehead, all over the head; and in the region around and below the eye; on the nape of the neck there is a broad orange band; the shoulders and upper part of the back black, every feather having a yellowish-green edge; the rump and upper coverts of the tail are yellowish-green; the quills blackish-brown, dark blue on the outer webs, and the last of them having a broad light green edge on the outer web; the upper and under coverts and the edge of the wings purplish-blue; below the wing a large black spot; the two central feathers of the tail dark olive-green, the other tail feathers green at the basal half, the outermost feathers of the tail, on either side, greenish-blue, with white tips; the throat and breast scarlet; the spot under the chin, beginning at the lower mandible, from the lower part of the head to the ear, is white; the under part of the breast deep yellow; the sides of the breast yellow, each feather having a blackish spot in the centre; the middle of the belly and the hinder part of the body bluish-green; the under coverts of the tail red; the beak a whitish yellow-grey; the upper mandible a rather darker horn-grey at the base; eyes dark-brown; feet grey-brown; claws blackish. The female may be similarly described, but the yellow spot on the nape of the neck is smaller; the middle of the belly and the hinder part of the body yellowish, not bluish-green. (According to Bargheer, the male is more purely and brilliantly coloured; the light green spot round the eye is larger, and protracted sideways in the female; in the latter also the sulphur-yellow spot on the back of the neck is wanting, and its place is supplied by the greenish colouring of the back; the female also is said to be slimmer and her head more rounded; the male stout in the body and thick in the head.) The plumage of the young birds is paler and duller, each feather edged with greyish-green, not with yellow; on the back of the head there is a large grey spot, and on the nape a yellow one. Size, less than that of a crow (length, 13 7/8in.; wings, 5 3/4in. to 6 3/4in.; longest feather in the tail, 6 3/8in. to 6 7/8in.; outermost feather of the tail, 3 1/8in. to 3 1/2in.).

ROSE HILL PARRAKEET. (Psittacus eximius).

It is a native of Tasmania, New South Wales, and South Australia. Its mode of life has been observed by Caley, Gould, Rietmann, etc. According to their observation, it is only found in circumscribed districts; along the Hunter River and in Tasmania it is very numerous. It prefers open, sandy, grass plains, with brushwood and large trees standing singly. In the last-named country different variegated parra-keets may be seen in company - the Pennant and the King's Parrakeet, besides the Rosella - but mostly in small flocks, running about on the roads, and, when frightened, flying up on the fences which mark the divisions of the land. They are so tame that one could almost knock them over with a stick. The food of the Rosella consists chiefly of seeds, but also of insects. Their voice is not shrill and piercing, but of a pleasant piping kind. The breeding season falls between October and January, and the brood sometimes consists of as many as eleven, but usually of five or six. The nest is built in the hollow of a tree, often far down inside the trunk, but easily accessible to this parrakeet, which is particularly clever in climbing. Since these parrakeets attack the ripening maize and other crops, inflicting considerable damage, and because their flesh is reckoned delicious eating, they have long been keenly pursued as game, and have everywhere been driven out of the inhabited districts. But of late, like most parrots, they have become an important article of commerce, and, therefore, they are chiefly caught alive in large nets. This is done principally when they begin their migrations in flocks. They then suddenly appear in neighbourhoods in which they are not found at other times, and, according to the success met with in capturing them, they are exported to Europe.

We know comparatively little of the life of this very common variety in freedom; we have, however, full details as to its existence in captivity. All that I have written on page 238, by way of introduction, applies especially to the Rosella. I wish, however, to mention emphatically that this bird can bear our climate exceedingly well, and has already in many cases, notably with Mr. Otto Wigand, photographer in Zeitz, shown that it can, without danger, pass the winter in our country in the open air. Wigand, in 1871, was the first to breed this species.

The traveller, Gould, asserts that the Rosella, in spite of its brilliant plumage, is unable to excite a lasting interest; invariably after a short time it becomes wearisome, and I fear that even the ease with which it can be bred will hardly lend it any considerable value. Nevertheless, it has found enthusiastic admirers, and among them Mr. A. Bargheer, teacher of music at Basel. He thus describes them : "A couple of Rosellas in a cage may appear quiet and stupid, because they are too shy and terrified to move about much. Where, on the other hand, they have plenty of room to fly about, they are uncommonly lively, and so attractive and entertaining that one may watch their antics with pleasure. Their flight is easy and graceful, their movements on the ground quick and skilful, although, like all parrots, they look awkward owing to the inward turn of the foot and the manner of lifting one over the other. They also climb rapidly, but prefer to fly, and frequently undertake continuous exercise on the wing. One must use care, especially at first, in giving them green food; but I gave twigs of willows, alder, beech, and fruit trees, afterwards ears of all kinds of corn and grasses, and, finally, chickweed and salad (but the latter is always dangerous for the Platycerci). In the autumn they had service berries, and in winter dried juniper berries; all others they rejected. They liked the fresh seeds of the sunflower greatly. The diet, of course, consisted chiefly of seeds - canary seed, millet, hemp, oats, and maize. The voice of the Rosella is a pleasant piping. The male utters a short but rather varied song, the female only a low soft call, and a loud, clear note of warning, both of which latter, however, are also peculiar to the male. The latter dances a love dance, holding himself upright, having the feathers of the neck and head erected, and the tail outspread like a fan, and raising his body with a quick backward motion, accompanied with clear, ardent notes. A full-grown Rosella cannot live peaceably with its equals or other birds." Mr. Bargheer has, from two couples, annually bred several broods, each of three to five nestlings. Strangely enough, the parrakeets always began to build their nest in our spring.

Though I may willingly agree that the Rose Hill Parrakeet, if treated with more attention and affection, will become a pleasant companion in a room, yet I should by no means be justified on that account in giving it a place in the present work; but at the house of Mr. Holtz, postal secretary, of Leipzig, I myself heard a Rosella which said, "Papa," "Mamma," "Ella," and mixed up other words with its own strange natural chatter. Moreover, we have accounts of several talking Rosellas, but I consider it unnecessary to repeat them here. Of course, this species reaches a much higher value if there is a hope of training the young home-bred birds at once to become good speakers. For the purpose of teaching it is certainly most advantageous to choose from the miserable-looking, tailless, half-fledged, dirty young birds of a grey colour, which have been newly imported.