616 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — PS ITT A CI — ARID^. 



Madagascan Vasas ; Poeocephalince, the ordinary green or brown African Parrots, so similar to 

 the American Amazons ; and the Papuan black Parrot, Dasyptilince, of one genus and species. 

 II. Neog^i. 8. PiONiD^ are the short-tailed green Amazons and some other Parrots of 

 tropical America, agreeing in a complete furculum, two carotids, no ambiens (except Caica) ; 

 the cere always naked. Leading genera of this family are Chrysotis, Pionus, Pachynus, and 

 Brotogerys, without oil-gland, and forming the true Pionincej more special types are Deroptyus, 

 Pionopsittacus, Triclaria, Urochroma, Caica (?) and Gypopsittacus, with an oil-gland, probably 

 representing another subfamily, Pionopsittacince. 9. Psittaculid^. Certain short-tailed 

 pygmy American Parrots differ notably from the other Neogfean forms in the absence of a com- 

 plete furculum, as well as of an ambiens, in which respects they agree with the Palseogeean 

 genus Agapornis; and if the distinction of New World from Old World forms does not break 

 down in this case, they must be regarded as a different family. They differ from the Pionidce 

 in possessing an oil-gland. The orbital ring is incomplete. There are numerous species of 

 the single genus Psittacula, in which the sexes differ in color. All remaining American Par- 

 rots constitute the 



Family ARID-<E : Macaws, etc., 



being the long-tailed Neogfean forms commonly rated as a subfamily Arince or Conurince of 

 Psittacidce. It is characteristic of these birds to possess a complete furculum, an ambiens (want- 

 ing in Pyrrhura), an oil-gland, and two carotids, the left superficial ; in which respects they 

 represent an ancestral type. In one subfamily, the Arince proper or Macaws, the orbital ring 

 varies in completeness ; the face is more or less denuded ; the size is great, with long gradu- 

 ated tail, and the colors are very showy, as red, blue, yellow, green. The genera are Ara, 

 Anodorhynchtis, and Cyayiopsittaciis. The other genera of AridcB form the 



Subfamily CONURIN/E: Wedge-tailed American Parrots, 



of medium and small size and mostly green color, witli or withf)Ut red or yellow ; the cheeks 

 and usually also the cere feathered; the tail wedged. The orbital ring is generally complete 

 (incomplete in Myopsittacus and Bolborhynchus) . The chief exception to the compactness of 

 this group is afforded by the genus Pyrrhura, which lacks an ambiens and has the cere naked. 

 Several genera, the largest of which is the following : 



CONU'RUS. (Gr. (cwi/oy. ^'onos, a cone ; ovpd, oura, ia.i\; cuneate-tail.) Conures. Par- 

 ROQUETS. Tail lengthened, nearly equalling wings, cuneate, with tapering feathers, graduated 

 nearly half its length. Face entirely feathered excepting a slight space about eye. Nostrils 

 in feathered cere (in our species). Bill very stout, with bulging lateral outline, broadly rounded 

 culmen and gonys, and toothed or lobed commissure. Tarsi very short, much less than inner 

 anterior toe; outer anterior longer than outer posterior toe. Feet granular-reticulate, becoming 

 scutellate on toes. Wings pointed ; in our species 2d and .3d primaries longest, 1st and 4th 

 subequal and shorter. A large genus of tropical America, of about 30 species, with one U. S. 

 species, which differs from the rest in having the nostrils hidden in feathers and 4th primary 

 not attenuated; it is type of Cow?«rojJS'is Salv AD. 1891. 



C. carolinen'sis. (Lat. Carolinian. Figs. 422, 423.) Carolina Conure. Parroquet 

 or Parrakeet. Kelinky. Green; head yellow; face red; bill white; feet flesh-color; 

 wings more or less variegated with blue and yellow. Sexes alike. Young simply green. 

 Length 12.50-13 50; extent 21.00-22.50; wing 7.00-8.00 ; tail 6.00-7.00. Southern States; 

 up the Mississippi Valley to the Missouri region ; W. to Arkansas and the Indian Territory ; 

 in 1806 found in midwinter in tiie mountains of Colorado by Pike's Expedition ; recently Kan- 

 sas, Nebraska, Iowa; formerly strayed to Pennsylvania, New York, and Michigan, but of late 

 has receded even from the Carolinas ; still locally abundant only in Florida, less so in Arkansas 



