Psittacus Petzi, Auctorum. Synonyms: Conurus Petzii, Gr., Bp., etc.; Conurus Canicularis, Gr.;

Sittace Petzii, Wgl.

French : Perruche à frout rouge, Bff., Lvl.

German: Petz' Keilschwanzsittich, Rss.

THIS small and unpretending looking Parrakeet, is nevertheless a very nice bird, capable of forming the most devoted attachment to its owner, and of developing no small ability as an imitator of domestic, if not exactly of articulate, sounds; although in the latter respect instances are not wanting in which individuals have attained to a very respectable degree of proficiency in reproducing the sound of the human voice.

It is a good deal smaller than the Half-Moon Parrakeet, measuring about eight and a half inches in length, but bears a general resemblance to it in shape and colour; the frontlet however in Petz's Conure is rather orange red than golden, and is much narrower than in the case of Conurus Aureus.

Petz's Conure is a native of the northern part of South America, and was met with by Dr. A. von Frantzius "in large flocks in the Central American State of Costa Rica, not only in close proximity to the town, but flying over the gardens with deafening cries. They are frequently tamed there," he adds, "and easily learn to speak."

"This species has been known to writers on ornithology for a long time, and was described and figured by Edwards, Buffon, Levaillant, and Linnaeus, and lastly by Bechstein, with more or less accuracy; but the first correct account we have of it is that given by Wagler in 1832," so writes Dr. Buss, in his work on the Psittacidae (Die Papageien, page 267).

It was described as follows by Bechstein under the name of Psittacus Caniailaris . - "This species, which is rather common among us, is ten inches in length, of which the tail measures half, the folded wings covering one third, the forehead is scarlet, the top of the head a fine sky blue, paler at the back; the upper part of the body meadow green, the under lighter. The forehead is orange in the female. This Parrot is handsome, but does not speak. Although a native of South America, it is not very delicate or difficult to preserve."

The English translator of "Die Naturgeschichte der Stubenvögel," names this bird "The Red and Blue-headed Parrakeet," a name which describes it fairly well, as the colours vary in different individuals; being lighter in some and darker in others.

Herr Schlectendal, who kept several of these birds, gives them the best character for amiability with each other, and good-fellowship with cognate species; such as the Tovi and Tirika Conures, and the Jeudaya, with which one of his Petz's struck up at first sight a friendship that was only broken by death.

The small Conures generally are not large drinkers, and seldom take water more than two or three times a day; neither are they very large eaters, and should in no wise have soft food given to them. Canary seed should be their staple diet, with a little hemp now and then, but a continuance of the latter seed would make them too fat, and also be apt to induce disease of the liver.

Fruit, ripe and sweet, such as grapes, figs, or a slice of ripe pear may be offered during the season once or twice a week; half decayed wood should also be placed at their disposal, and flints broken up small, which last aid the digestion and should always be supplied.

Nuts, such as Brazil and filberts, or the edible chestnut, may also be occasionally given as a treat; but "monkey" nuts are too oily and sometimes give rise to diarrhcea.

With regard to bathing these Conures differ amazingly, some of them appear to have a positive horror of cold water; while others again are never happy except when splashing themselves from head to foot; but they rarely step into the bath and have a regular good "tub," although I have also seen this done. In their native woods there is no occasion for these birds to wash, for they get quite sufficiently wetted by the dew that clings to the loaves and branches in the early morning, and may then bo seen in flocks pluming and drying themselves in the beams of the rising sun.

When a Petz's Conure does learn to repeat a few words it is in a very small voice indeed, and the meaning is not always plain, especially to strangers; but when imagination's aid has been invoked to interpret the semi-articulate sounds, it is surprising what a copious vocabulary the bird is found to possess: but that is the case with most Parrots as well as Parakeets, we believe; at least when we have thought more than once that a bird had spoken a certain word, we have been assured by its happy possessor that it had said something quite different. Apart, however, from its linguistic attainments, which vary immensely in different individuals, Petz's Conure is a very desirable little bird, whether kept singly, or in company with one or more of its congeners; for it is hardy, tractable, and pretty.

We seem to have an idea, that this bird has been successfully bred in captivity, but we cannot recollect where or when we saw the account to which we now refer.

The Conures belong to the sub-family Arinae, of which they form a separate genus, Conurus, and are very numerous, the London Zoological Society having at different times possessed specimens of no less than twenty-six different species, leaving the list by no means exhausted. Dr. Karl Russ enumerates twenty-nine species, which he describes more or less fully; and others are known to exist, although possibly, as in the case of the Jendaya, the immature birds, and in some cases the females, are called to do duty separately as distinct species; time, however, will clear up these trifling obscurities, and still leave the Conures the most numerous family of the great race to which they belong, numbering, in all probability, some thirty distinct varieties.

The London Zoological Society first became possessed of the subject of our present notice in 1869, when two specimens were purchased; since then other examples have been acquired, by gift or received in exchange, and several are now to be seen in the Parrot House, where they appear to suffer more or less from ennui, a terrible malady to which so many unhappy human beings are also subject; for several of them have fallen into the disastrous habit of plucking the small feathers from the breast; and one has left itself quite bare in that region.

Want of occupation is in the great majority of cases the exciting cause of this disfiguring habit, into which some of the Jendayas have also fallen; and we have advised the placing of pieces of soft wood in the cages, so that the birds may exercise their beaks in a more congenial manner than on their own plumage. Once, however, the habit of feather plucking has been indulged in for any length of time, it is almost hopeless to effect a cure; but if the bird is noticed at the outset, and a log of soft wood, and a handful of small stones are supplied for its amusement, in all probability the self-disfiguring propensity will be abandoned; and the creature which was in danger of becoming a disagreeable-looking object will remain a thing of beauty, and so far, a joy for ever.

The price of these small Conures varies a good deal, but twenty-five to thirty shillings a pair is that usually demanded for newly-imported birds by the London dealers. When acclimatised, and in good feather, they would probably command a higher figure, say forty or forty-five shillings for an undoubted pair, aviary moulted, acclimatised, and in perfect feather and condition. We have occasionally seen them offered for five or six shillings each, but not in good condition; when the amateur, who does not mind a little trouble and waiting, by investing in a couple of pairs, might, after an interval of a few months, sell them again for at least double the amount they cost him.

Such speculations, however, always involve a certain amount of risk, for these poor dilapidated-looking birds not unfrequently die; indeed more often than not, for the hardships and neglect to which they have been subjected from the time of their capture in Central America until their transfer, after a more or less prolonged stay in the close shop of a dealer, to the more considerate care of the connoisseur; have in all probability undermined their constitution, and sown the seeds of incurable disease, to which the poor creatures will sooner or later succumb.

When such a catastrophe has been happily avoided, or averted, these Conures are perfectly hardy, and will endure in captivity on the simplest diet for years; but like all the family to which they belong, they cannot unfortunately be trusted in the company of other Parrakeets, much larger even than themselves, for they are spiteful and quarrelsome, especially in the case of nestlings, as we have more than once discovered to our cost; however, if kept by themselves, for they are eminently gregarious in their habits, they will do very well; and no doubt breed, if any amateur should think it worth his while to give them an opportunity of doing so.