120 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



red ; eye cere white ; the feet are a yellowish-grey ; claws 

 horn-grey. (Sometimes the whole front of the head is scarlet ; 

 the lores, the base of the beak, and the upper part of the 

 throat may be yellow ; the cheeks and the throat may also be 

 blue.) Size, about that of a crow (length, 14^in. : wings, 7in. 

 to 7|in. ; tail, 4in. to 4|-in.). It is a native of Central and 

 Northern Brazil as far as Gaiana and New Granada. 



Schomburgk, Prince Max von Wied, Natterer, and others, 

 have written of this species, and, according to them, the 

 particulars of its mode of life are in no respect different from 

 those of the others. A Dufresne's Amazon appeared in the 

 collection of the Emperor, in Schonbrunn, as early as the year 

 1830 ; and it has been brought into our markets now and then 

 in later times : nevertheless, it continues to be one of the rarest 

 species. 



Travellers differ in their opinion as to its talents, for, whereas 

 the Prince asserts that it is teachable and soon learns to speak, 

 Schomburgk denies this. Mr. Petermann says that it is highly 

 esteemed in Brazil on account of its eminent talent for speaking, 

 and there fetches a high price. 



CHAP. XXXIV.— THE PIONIN^, OR LONG-WINGED 

 PAEEOTS. 



Capacity as Talkers — Distinguishing Maries — Habitat — Impor- 

 tation — Management. 



Far behind the two genera of which we have already spoken 

 stand the Long-winged Parrots {Pionias, Wgl.), both in 

 respect of talent for speech and mental capacity ; yet they 

 greatly resemble them in physical and other peculiarities, 

 as well as in their manner of life. They really only learn to 

 chatter, not to talk properly. Among the fifty dift'erent species 

 which are at present known, only three are speakers ; but this 

 by no means proves that none of the others, or even most of 

 them, will not at some time or other prove themselves to be 

 gifted with speech. I shall, therefore, enter the more fully 

 into the general descriptions, researches, and experiences forth- 

 coming as to the genus Pionias. 



