THE AMAZON PARROTS. 103 



nests. Tlie Indians, who consider them amongst the most 

 teachable parrots, are said to rear and train them with special 

 care. Surinam Amazons ma.y often be seen flying half-wild 

 about the huts of the Indians, with cut wings, but they always 

 return home in the evening. This species is with us one of the 

 most common in the trade, as they are imported in rather larger 

 numbers than the Double-fronted Amazon. They are esteemed 

 as good speakers, as some of them develope in the most notable 

 manner, not merely speaking well and clearly, but learning to 

 laugh, weep, and sing prettily. Others, however, are found to 

 be backward, but this is not often the case, most of them being 

 good medium birds. 



CHAP. XIX.— THE YELLOW-SHOULDERED AMAZON. 



Psittacus ochropterus, Gml. 



Single Yellow-headed Amazon (Ger., Kleiner Gelhkopf oder 

 Sonnenpapagei, Gelhflugeliger Kurzfliigeligpapagei, Gelb- 

 flilgeliger Amazonenpapagei, Gelbflugelamazone ; Fr., Per- 

 roquet Amazone a epaulettes jaimes, Perroquet Amazone 

 ocliroptere ; Dut., Kleene Geelkop Papegaai) — Power of 

 Mimicry — Physical Characteristics. 



The little Yellow- shouldered Amazon is, by many of the friends 

 of the feathered speakers, esteemed a great favourite, though con- 

 sidered as among the commonest parrots in the trade ; while by 

 others it is regarded, like all the smaller Amazons indeed, with 

 actual contempt. This arises, probably, from the fact that the 

 individual birds of this species display such an astonishing 

 difference in their capacity for speech. Descriptions have been 

 given by credible connoisseurs, according to which there are 

 some extraordinarily-gifted Yellow-shouldered Amazons, which 

 are particularly valuable, because they become uncommonly 

 tame, are very amusing in their ways, and can imitate faithfully 

 the voices of all sorts of animals, such as cock-crowing, cackling 

 of hens, cooing of doves, mewing of cats, barking of dogs, &c. ; 

 on the other hand, we find many Yellow-heads which are 

 certainly very lovable, but which cannot be taught anything. 

 One advantage is possessed by all of them — they belong to the 

 most easily and perfectly tamable of all cage birds. 



