360 



NATURAL HISTORY OF BIRDS. 



They have a strongly developed beak, higher than long, but without distinct teeth in 

 its margins. In color the beak is usually red, but it may be black or lead color; what- 

 ever its color, it always has a waxy appearance, by which these birds can readily be 

 separated from all the other parrots. The small cere extends across the beak, and is as 

 wide at the sides as at the middle ; it is frequently partly feathered. The tail may be 

 long and tapering, or broad, straight, and short; the second and third (rarely first and 

 second) wing feathers are the longest. The general coloration is green. In habits the 

 greatest diversity is found, and no general summary will answer for all, as in the fami- 

 lies already mentioned. 



FIG. 165. Coryllis galgulus, blue-crowned hanging-parakeet. 



First to be mentioned is the now extinct Madagascar parrot, Mascarinus obscurus. 

 At about the beginning of the present century living specimens were brought to 

 Europe, and yet, to-day, specimens are to be found only in the museums of Paris and 

 Vienna. Its general color was brown, with the head and the base of the tail griseous, 

 the beak red. 



Turning now to the living forms, Palceornis must be mentioned first. This genus 

 embraces some twenty-two forms of long-tailed parrots which have no bare space near 

 the eye. They inhabit Madagascar and the Oriental regions. They are sociable 

 birds with loud screeching voice. The sexes are distinguished by the different color 

 of the bill, red in the males, black or yellow in the females. 



