THE MACAWS. 195 



clearly than the large macaws. It listens to other speaking 

 birds, and learns from them. Its voice, however, is not so 

 strong, and it is said not to be able to pronounce the word 

 " Macaw " as clearly as the larger species. It is common in the 

 trade, and is frequently seen at exhibitions, though usually 

 singly ; it is seldom found with amateurs, but often appears in 

 zoological gardens. 



CHAP. LXXVIII.— ILLIGER'S MACAW. 



Psittacus maracana, VU. 



Illigers Arara (Ger., Rothrilckiger Arara, Rothstirniger Arara, 

 Marakana ; Fr., Ara a joues rouges, Ara d'Jlliger ; Dut., 

 Illigers A ra) — Rarity — Description. 



Illiger's Macaw was described and named by Vieillot in 1816 ; 

 yet, though nearly as common in the trade as the preceding 

 species, we have, to the present time, no details of its life 

 in freedom, nor of its habits in captivity. It is of a dull 

 vermilion on the forehead and hinder part of the back ; the 

 crown of the head is a dull greenish-blue ; the rump and upper 

 coverts of the tail yellowish- green ; the quills sky-blue, the 

 inner webs being brownish-yellow; the reverse side of the quills 

 and the large under coverts of the wings a dull olive-yellow ; 

 the tail feathers are brownish-red at the basal half, the tip half 

 greenish-blue ; the reverse side a dull olive-yellow ; all the rest 

 of the upper part of the body olive, inclining to grass-green ; all 

 the under part of the body the same ; the middle of the belly 

 and the hinder part of the body a dull vermilion ; the beak 

 blackish-brown ; the upper mandible lighter, greyish at the 

 base and point ; the unfeathered cheeks reddish, inclining to 

 sulphur-yellow, set with rows of little, black, bristly feathers ; 

 the eyes orange, with a greyish-brown ring round the iris ; the 

 feet a reddish-brown flesh-colour ; claws black. It is about the 

 size of a pigeon (length, 16|in. ; wings, 7fin. to 8g-in. ; tail, 

 7:^in. to 7f in.). It is a native of South Brazil, and is found near 

 the mouths of the rivers. 



Like the preceding, this species is to be seen occasionally in 

 zoological gardens and at exhibitions. Dr. Schmidt writes of 



o 2 



