192 TEE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



CHAP. LXXV.— THE EED AND YELLOW MACAW. 



Psittaeu3 chloropterus, Gr. 



Green-ii'inged Macaw (Ger., Grosser grunjiiigeliger Arara, 

 dunJcelrother Arara, Grunfliig el- Arara ; Fr., Ara chloroptere, 

 Ara aux ailes verts; Dut., Groote Groenvleugel Ara) — De- 

 scription — Habitat — Longevity. 



This species is distinguished from tlie preceding only by the 

 plumage being, on the whole, of a much darker red, and by its 

 being green, not yellow, on the shoulders and upper coverts of 

 the wing. It was first described by Gessner, then in 1760 by 

 Brisson, and named by Gray in 1859. It is dark scarlet on 

 the head, and on all the rest of the upper part of the body, 

 each feather on the back of the neck and the fore part of the 

 back being edged with green ; the middle and lower part of the 

 back, as well as the upper coverts of the tail, are sky-blue ; 

 the primaries dark blue, the inner web black, the reverse 

 side purplish-red, the coverts dull blue ; the coverts of the 

 shoulders and wings a dull olive-green ; the small coverts under 

 the wing red, with a broad green edge ; the broad tip of the 

 tail, and both the outermost feathers, dark blue ; all the lower 

 part of the body a dark scarlet ; the under coverts of the tail 

 sky-blue ; the upper mandible whitish horn-grey, with a black 

 spot at the base ; the lower mandible black ; the featherless 

 cheeks white ; the eyes yellow, or yellowish pearl-grey ; the 

 feet are blackish-brown, with black claws. In size it is some- 

 what less than the preceding (length, 30Jin. to 32Jin. ; wings, 

 15fin. to 16-}in.; tail, 12|in. to 18|in.). 



It is found in the district extending from South Brazil, the 

 Amazon river, and Guiana, as far as Panama and Uruguay. It 

 is common in the trade and in zoological gardens, and can be 

 kept in excellent condition for more than ten years ; but, of 

 course, for a much longer period when receiving suitable treat- 

 ment from a connoisseur. 



