THE PARROTS. 



Anothei" Family of the Order now under consideration is tliat of the Pf;iTTACiD.ii, or 

 Parrots. 



The birds of tliis genus possess, in an eminent degree, the cliaracter of the order in 

 which they are placed. They are climbers iu the fullest sense of the word. Their toes, 

 constantly four in number, are opposed two to two, and armed with solid and crooked 

 claws — less so, however, than the claws of the birds of prej*. Tlie two anterior toes are 

 united at their base by a small membrane ; the hinder arc completely separated. The 

 tarsi, in the majority of species, are very short, but in some thej^ are elongated in a 

 proportion nearly equal to that of the insessores in general. Their skin is scaly, as is 

 that of the toes ; the wings are usually shut ; the tail is more or -less long, and assumes a 

 variety of forms ; the colours of the plumage are almost always brilliant. ■ 



In the majority of this family, we find a plumage which, for richness and variety of 

 colour, yields to few of the feathered race ; and though, like the tulip among flowers, it 

 may be thought gaudy, and composed of colours too violently and abruptly contrasted to 

 give that satisfaction to the eye wliich a more chastened, or rather less abrupt, inter- 

 mixture of tints is wont to produce, still we think no one can examine or look at some 

 of the gorgeously decked maccaws, the splendid and cfiulgcut lories, or the diversified 

 tints of the Australian parakeets, without acknowledging them to be among the most 

 beautiful and striking of the feathered race. 



The upper mandible, which is immoveable in mammals, has more or less motion in 

 birds. Some birds indeed, for instance the capercailzie and rhinoceros birds, are 

 not gifted with this motion ; but mobility of the upper mandible is the rule in this class, 

 and the want of it the exception. In the Paittacidce this power is highly developed ; 

 for the upper mandible is not connected into one piece with the skull, by yielding and 

 elastic bony plates, as is the case with birds in general, but constitutes a particular 

 bone, distinct from the rest of the cranium, and articulated to it. 



The advantages derived to the animal from this conformation arc obvious to any one 



