THE HAWK-HEADED PARROT. 125 



coverts of tlie tail being green, the lower tail coverts having 

 green tips, and the two middle feathers of the tail blue tips. 



This Long-winged Parrot is a native of South America, from 

 the South of Brazil to Panama, and lately it has been found in 

 Central America. Sclater says it also lives in Mexico and 

 Trinidad. It is said to resemble the Amazons in its natural 

 habits. Mr. Petermann informs us that " it becomes extremely 

 tame and affectionate, and displays much intelligence, although 

 its talent for speech is small." 



Schlechtendal describes it as a good-tempered, rather awkward 

 bird, which soon becomes tame, but has an unpleasant voice. 

 Mrs. von Proscheck, of Vienna, had a Maitaka Parrot which 

 talked, and the wholesale dealer, Mr. Fockelmann, in Hamburg, 

 had such a one, which latter also learnt to whistle prettily. 

 Mr. Fiedler had several which screamed almost incessantly ; but 

 these were already old birds. The young Maitaka is, in my 

 opinion, as pleasant a companion as the Senegal Parrot, and, 

 like the latter, learns to chatter a little, but not much. 



CHAP. XXXVn.— THE HAWK-HEADED PAEEOT. 



Psittacua accipitrinus, L. 



Hawk-headed Caique, Hooded Parrot (Ger., Kragenpapagei, 

 Hollen-Langflilgelpapagei, Fdcherpapagei (!) ; Fr., Perroquet d 

 cravatte, Perroquet maille ; Dut., Havikhop Langvleugel Pape- 

 gaai) — Description — Habitat — Domestic Character. 



The Hawk-headed Parrot must always be considered as one 

 of the most beautiful and interesting. Its curious hood, or 

 rufSe, of brown and blue feathers, which it erects when excited, 

 so that it forms a circle round the head, gives it a strange 

 appearance. It was mentioned by Clusius as early as 1605, and 

 delineated by Edwards ; Brisson was able to describe it from a 

 living specimen in the possession of the Marquise de Pompadour. 

 Linne named it. 



It is coloured and marked as follows : The front and top of 

 the head are white ; the lores, the part round the ear, the 

 sides of the head, and the upper part of the throat, of a pale 



