THE AMAZON PARROTS. Ill 



birds in the trade, yet they are highly esteemed by some 

 amateurs. On the whole, however, as regards their talents, the 

 remarks concerning the lesser species hold good. 



CHAP. XXVI.— THE WHITE-FEONTED AMAZON. 



Pdittacas leucocephalus, L. 



White-fronted Amazon (Ger., Rothhalsige Kuha-Amazone, hlos 

 Kuba-Ainazone, rothhduchiger Kurzfliigelpapacjei ; Fr., Perro- 

 quet-Amazone a tete blanche, Perroquet Amazone de Cuba ; 

 Dut., Havana of Cuba Amazone Pai^egaai) — Description — 

 Domestic Character. 



This bird has been known as long as any of the American 

 parrots, for it was mentioned by Aldrovandi. The first to 

 describe it was Edwards, and Linne gave its scientific name. 

 Old authors extolled it highly, and Catesby even calls it the 

 "Paradise Parrot ; " Bechstein also includes it among the most 

 teachable, and asserts that they chat much, and become very 

 tame. 



It is white on the forehead, top of the head, lores, and 

 eye cere ; the cheeks, round the ear, and the throat, are purple- 

 red ; the upper tail coverts yellow-green ; the coverts of the 

 primaries and the bend of the wing blue ; the basal half of 

 the tail feathers, on the inner webs, scarlet ; all the upper part 

 of the body deep grass-green, each feather having a broad black 

 tip ; the lower part is grass-green, the feathers being only lightly 

 tipped with black ; the belly purple ; the leg feathers light-blue ; 

 the lower tail coverts yellow-green ; the beak pale yellowish- 

 white ; the cere pure white ; the eyes brownish or reddish-yellow ; 

 the feet whitish flesh-colour; claws flesh-coloured. In the female 

 the red spot on the throat is said to extend to the upper part of 

 the breast, and the lower part of the breast to be purple. In 

 young birds the plumage is as follows : Only the forehead 

 white ; spot near the ear more of a greyish-black ; the cheeks 

 green, with a few red feathers. Special marks : The absence 

 of the band on the forehead, and the stripes of the eyebrows ; 

 wings without central spot ; on the other hand, the purple belly. 



