North A:\ierican Birds EG(is. 



183 



PAROQUETS AND PARROTS. Order XIII. PSITTACI. 



Family PSITTACID/E. 



382. Carolina Paroquet. Coinirn.s raniliiini.sis. 



Range. — Now rare in Florida and alonti the Gulf coast to Indian Territorj'. 

 As late as 1885, the Carolina Paroquets were abun- 

 dant in the South Atlantic and Gulf States, but owing —- 



to their wanton destruction by man, they have been 

 exterminated in the greater portion of their range, 

 and now are rarely seen in any locality, and then 

 only in the most unhabitable swamps and thickets. 

 A reliable account of their nesting habits is lacking, 

 as are also specimens of their eggs taken from wild 

 birds. They are said to build rude nests of sticks 

 upon horizontal branches of cypress trees, and to 

 nest in colonies; it is also claimed that they nest 

 in hollow trees, laying from three to five pure white 

 eggs. The one figured is one of three laid in confine- 

 ment at Washington, D. C. by a pair of birds owned by Mr. Robert Ridgway. 

 It is 1.31 X 1.06 and was laid July 12, 18112. This set is in the collection of Mr. 

 John Lewis Childs. 



382.1. Thick-billed Parrot. Rhyitrhopsitta parhyrhyncha. 



Range.— Mexico, north casually to the Mexican border of the United States. 

 This large Parrot (l(i inches long) has a heavy black bill, and the plumage is 

 entirely green except for the deep red forehead, stripe over the eye, shoulder, and 

 thighs, and the yellowish under wing coverts. Their eggs are white and are laid 

 in natural cavities in large trees in forests. 



W 



CUCKOOS, TROGANS, KINGFISHERS, ETC. 



COCCYGES. 



Order XIV 



CUCKOOS, ANIS, ETC. Family CUCULID/E. 



[383]. Ani. CrotopJiaga ani. 



Range.— Northeastern South America and the West Indies; casual in Florida, 

 and along the Gulf coast; accidental in Pennsylvania. 



This species is similar to the next, but the bill is smoother and without 

 grooves. Its nesting habits are the same as those of the more common Ameri- 

 can species. 



384. Groove-billed Ani 



I Greenish blue.] 



Crotnphaga sulcirostrls. 



Range.— Mexico and the border of the United 

 States; common in southern Texas. This odd spec- 

 ies has a Cuckoo-like form, but is wholly blue black 

 in color, and has a high thin bill with three conspic- 

 uous longitudinal grooves on each side. They build 

 large bulky nests of twigs, lined with leaves and 

 grasses, and located in low trees and bushes. They 

 build in small colonies but do not, as is claimed of 

 the common Ani, build a large nest for several to 

 occupy. They lay from three to five eggs of a green- 

 ish blue color, covered with a chalky white deposit. 

 Size 1.25 X 1.00. They are laid in May or June. 



