396 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



ORDER PSITTACI. THE PARROTS, ETC. 



CHAK. Bill deep and strongly hooked, the upper mandible movable, as well as the 

 lower, and furnished at base with a distinct cere, or else the latter densely covered with 

 short feathers; feet zygodactyle. 



FAMILY PSITT ACID JE. THE PARROTS. 



"CHAR. Bill greatly hooked; the maxilla movable and with cere at the base. Nostrils 

 in the base of the bill. Feet scansorial, covered with granulated scales." (Hist. N.Am. B.} 



GENUS CONURUS KTJHL. 



Conurus KUHL, Consp. Psittac. 1820, 4. Type Psittacus carolinensis LINN. 



"GEN. CHAR. Tail long, conical, and pointed; bill stout; cheeks feathered, but in 

 some species leaving a naked ring round the eyes; cere feathered to the base of the bill. 



"The preceding diagnosis, though not very full, will serve to in- 

 dicate the essential characteristics of the genus among the Middle 

 American forms with long pointed tails, the most prominent feature 

 consisting in the densely feathered, not naked, cheeks. But one 

 species belongs to the United States, though three others are found 

 in Mexico, and many more in South and Central America. A few 

 species occur in the West Indies." (Hist. N. Am. B.) 



Conurus carolinensis (Linn.) 



CAROLINA PAROQUET. 

 Popular synonym. Illinois Paroquet. 



Psittacus carolinensis LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766, 141. WILS. Am. Orn. iii, 1811, 89, pi. 24, 

 fig. 1. NUTT. Man. i, 1832, 545. AUD. Orn. Biog. v, 1832, 135. pi. 26. 



Conurus carolinensis LESS. 1831. BAIKD.B. N. Am. 1858,67; Cat, N. Am. B. 1859, No. 63. 

 COUES, Key, 1872, 199; Check List, 1874. No. 315; 2d ed. 1882, No. 460; B. N. W. 1874, 

 296. B. B. & R. Hist. N. Am. B. ii. 1874.587,pl. 56. figs. 1.2. RIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 

 1881, No. 392. 



Centurus (error carolinensis') AUD. Synop. 1839, 189; B. Am. iv, 1842, 386, pi. 278. 



HAS. Now confined to limited portions of Florida and the Gulf States, and portions 

 of the lower Mississippi Valley, north to Arkansas and Indian Territory possibly to 

 southern Mississippi and extreme southern portion of Illinois. Formerly abundant 

 throughout the Mississippi Valley, east to the Alleghanies, north (extreme limits) to tho 

 Great Lakes, west to Nebraska and even eastern Colorado. 



SP. CHAE. Adult. Rich grass-green, varying to emerald in some lights, the lower 

 parts lighter and more yellowish green than the upper; tertials, tips of greater coverts, 

 and basal portion of primaries greenish yellow ; primaries dark blue at tips. Forehead, lores 

 and cheeks, rich orange-red, or orange-chrome; rest of head, with upper part of neck' 



