114 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



spot on tlae crown ; a narrow scarlet band on the forehead ; 

 the lores are scarlet, also the eyebrow stripes, and a wide 

 space round the eye near the beak (the red band on the forehead 

 is sometimes wanting) ; the back of the head and neck are bluish- 

 green ; the cheeks and space round the ear yellowish-green ; 

 the bend of the wing and the coverts of the primaries bright 

 scarlet ; the edge of the wing is green ; the four outer tail 

 feathers are red on both webs at the base ; all the upper part of 

 the body is dark grass-green, each feather having a dark edge ; 

 the lower part of the body is a faint, paler green, with a faded dark 

 edge to the feathers ; the belly and lower tail coverts yellowish- 

 green ; the beak greyish waxy-yellow ; the skin on the nose 

 yellowish-grey ; the eyes yellow, inclining to a reddish-brown ; 

 eye cere a dark slate-colour ; feet a brownish-grey ; claws 

 blackish. About the size of a jackdaw (length, 12|-in. to 12-^in. ; 

 wings, 7iin. to 7-^in. ; tail, ojin. to 4|in.). It is a native of 

 Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Costa Eica. 



This Amazon, which has hitherto received but little notice, 

 has lately been described very favourably by Mr. F. Arnold, of 

 Munich : ** It speaks a great deal, but only a few words clearly ; 

 it learns very quickly, but forgets just as soon. Otherwise it is 

 a delightful household companion, which allows the children to 

 do as they like with it — drive it about in a doll's carriage, &c. 

 It also is fond of teasing in its turn ; it climbs up the curtain 

 just to such a height that its little friends cannot reach it, and 

 challenges them with continual cries to pursue it further by the 

 aid of chairs and tables, till at last it walks up and down, with 

 a dignified air, on the curtain-pole at a safe height. Its wishes, 

 such as to have its head scratched, to shake hands, or to receive 

 a bit of biscuit or a piece of apple, must be immediately com- 

 plied with ; or, if these modest desires are not attended to, it 

 withdraws, and rejects all efforts at reconciliation by pecking 

 with its beak. It destroys everything it can reach ; but, if it 

 be scolded, it knows how, with wonderful sagacity, to disarm the 

 intention by a great show of affection. On this account it has 

 been, and continues to be, the favourite with all the members of 

 the family." In this we have confirmation of the opinion as 

 to the talent of the smaller Amazons which I have already 

 expressed. 



