PARROTS. 543 



for themselves holes to answer this purpose. This order 

 is, therefore, naturally divisible, by the form of the bill, 

 into two families. 



FIRST FAMILY. 



In these birds the hill is more or less arched. The toes are usu- 

 ally disposed in pairs, two before and two behind ; sometimes, how- 

 ever, the external hind toe is reversible, or capable of being directed 

 backward or forward. 



PARROTS. (PsiTTAcus, Lin.) 



In these the bill is short, large, protuberant, extremely hard and 

 robust, somewhat compressed, convex above and below, furnished 

 with a cere at the base ; both the mandibles movable ; the up- 

 per curved from its origin, with the margins angular, the point 

 hooked, and more or less subulate ; lower mandible shorter, blunt, 

 and curved at the point, which by use then sometimes presents two 

 more or less obvious points. Nostrils basal, orbicular, open, and 

 perforated within the boundary of the cere. Tongue thick and 

 fleshy, entire, rounded at tip, and sometimes pencillated (or divided 

 into terminal threads, as in the Toucans.) Feet short and robust j 

 the tarsus naked and reticulated, shorter than the outer toe ; fore 

 toes united at base, opposable to the hind ones ; outer hind toe not 

 versatile ; sole of the foot broad and flat, nails incurved, rather large, 

 and acute. — Wings x^.\het long ; the 3 first primaries nearly equal, 

 or very slightly graduated. Tail of various forms, consisting of 12 

 feathers. — The female generally similar to the male ; the xjoung 

 difier much from the adult, and pass through several changes pre-- 

 vious to attaining their perfect plumage ; the colors of which are 

 unusually brilliant. 



These remarkable and gregarious birds dwell in forests, chiefly in 

 all the warm or mild climates, excepting Europe ; a single small spe- 

 cies exists however at the Straits of Magellan,* in the Southern hem- 

 isphere, which is much more prolific in kinds than the Northern. 

 They are naturally noisy and unmusical, having little or no variety 

 of note, until tamed and educated, when, in consequence of their 

 docility, aptness, and happy conformation of vocal organs, they are 



* Psitlacus smaragdlnus, Emerald Parrakeet. 



