66 U S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



Family PSITTACIDAE. The Parrots. 



The family of parrots is one so strongly marked as to be familiar to every one. The peculi- 

 arities belonging to it are very many, and the differences from other forms so great as almost to 

 warrant its erection into a distinct order, as has been done by Bonaparte, who, in addition, 

 places it at the head of his system, separated from the typical Scansores by the rapacious birds. 



The parrots are very extensively distributed throughout the warmer portions of America, 

 although the United States includes but a single species, as far as known. A second species, 

 Ithynchopsiita pachyrhyncha,^ inhabits the table land of Mexico, and probably extends to within 

 a hundred miles of our frontier. The other Mexican species, according to Sclater, (Pr. Zool. 

 Soc. 1857, 230,) are Ara milltaris, Conurus petzii and astec, Pionus senilis, Psittacula lineolata, 

 and Cltrysotis autumnalis, viridigenalis, and ochroptera. Some of these may extend their range 

 northward, and even occasionally occur within our limits. 



CONURUS, Kuhl. 



Conurus, Kchl, Consp. Psittac. 4, 1830. — Ib. Nova Acta K. L. C. Acad. X, 1830. 



Tail long, conical, and pointed ; bill stout; cheeks feathered, but in some species leaving a naked ring round the eye; cere 

 feathered to the base of the bill. 



The preceding diagnosis, though not very full, will serve to indicate the essential character- 

 istics of the genus among the 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, as already stated, two others are found in Mexico, and many more in 

 South and Central America. 



1 The following description of this species, taken from Swainson, will serve to identify it, if ever captured within our limits : 



EHYNCHOPSITTA PACHYRHYNCHA, Bon. 

 Thick-billed Parrot. 



Macrocercus pachyrhynchtis, Sw. Syn. Birds Mex. in Philos. Mag. I, 1827, 439, No. 79. 

 Rhynchopsilla pachijrhyncha, Eon. Tableau des Perroquots, Rev. et Mag. deZool. 1854, 149. 

 Psittacua pascha, Wacler, Isis, 1831, 524. 



Sp. Ch. — Green front ; eyebrows and ridge of shoulders red ; cheeks plumed ; tail feathers broad and obtuse. Wing 10 

 inches ; middle tail feathers 5.25 ; curve of upper mandible 2.00 ; depth of under mandible 1 inch. Hub. — Table lands of Mex. 

 Siv. Syn. Uirds Mex. in Philos. Mag. 1827. 



A specimen of this species is in the collection of the Pliiladelpliia Academy of Natural Sciences, labelled Rio Grande, Texas, 

 J. W. Audubon. If really taken within the limits of the United States, it is probably of very rare occurrence. 



