188 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



breeding cages. Nearly all tlie known species are imported 

 alive. With, suitable treatment, the macaws, especially tbe 

 intermediate and larger ones, attain, even in captivity, an 

 astonishingly great age. 



CHAP. LXXIL— THE HYAOINTHINE MACAW. 



Psittacus hyacinthinus, Lth. 



Hyacitithiiie Macaw {Ger., Grosser hlauer Arara, Hyazinth-Arara, 

 oder Jn/azinthhUmer Arara; Fr., Ara hyacinthine, Ara Maxi- 

 milien; Dut., Maximilians Ara) — Description — Habitat — 

 Rarity. 

 This magnificent bird, with its powerful beak, can neither 

 escape notice nor be mistaken for another ; it is well suited 

 for zoological gardens. . Its whole body is dark cobalt blue, 

 lighter on tlie head and throat, but darker on the crown of 

 the head, back of the neck, wings, and tail ; the quills 

 have a blackish edge on the inner web, and are of shining 

 black on the reverse side ; the larger under coverts of the 

 wings black ; the tail feathers black on the reverse side ; the 

 beak black ; eyes blackish-brown ; the lores feathered ; the 

 eye cere and the bare skin round the under mandible orange 

 yellow ; the feet blackish-brown ; claws black. Its size is about 

 that of a domestic cock, but longer in appearance (length, 

 about 39fin. ; wings, 14:fin. ; longest tail feathers, ISin. to 

 22iin.). 



It is a native of Central Brazil as far north as the Amazon 

 Eiver. It was described by Latham in 1790, and Azara also 

 treated of it. Even in its native country it is rather rare, being 

 found only in pairs or families. Until lately it was very scarce in 

 Europe. In the Zoological Gardens in London it first appeared 

 in 1867. The principal zoological collections have by degrees 

 obtained specimens, and two may be found in the Berlin 

 Garden. Miss Hagenbeck has occasionally exhibited one of 

 these splendid birds. Dr. Finsch says he has heard one mur- 

 muring words of some foreign language in a deep bass voice. 



