THE WEDGE-TAILED PABRAKEETS. 215 



CHAP. XC— THE BLUE-CROWNED CONUEE. 



Psittacus haBmorrhous, Sps. 



Blue-fronted Parraheet (Ger., Blaustirniger Keilschwanzsittich, 

 hlaustirniger Sittich, Blaustirnsittich ; Fr., Perruche bouton 

 hleu, Perruche a front bleu ; Dut., Blauwvoorlioofd Parldet) — 

 Description — Domestic Character. 



Among the parrakeets treated in this book, the Blue-crowned 

 Conure is of surpassing interest ; for, after careful observation, it 

 has been described by two eminent fanciers as capable of speech 

 and as otherwise very gifted. 



It is of bluish-green, inclining to sky-blue on the forehead 

 and front of the head ; the wings dark green ; the first quill 

 sky blue on the outer web, the other quills green ; all an olive 

 greenish-yellow on the inner web and on the reverse side ; the 

 tail green, the two central feathers all one colour, but the 

 others coppery-red on the inner web ; all the feathers of the tail 

 on the reverse side pale yellow ; all the rest of the upper parts 

 of the body grass-green ; the under parts a pale lighter green ; 

 the beak dull flesh-colour, inclining to brownish-red (according 

 to Bolau it may be horn colour, with darker tips and under 

 mandible) ; cere flesh-colour ; eyes orange-yellow, inclining to 

 yellowish-brown ; the featherless circle round them whitish 

 flesh-colour ; feet flesh-colour ; claws horn-brown. Size, the 

 same as the Carolina Conure (length, 14-|in. ; wings, 6Jin. to 

 8^in. ; longest tail feathers, 6^in. to 7jin. ; outermost tail 

 feathers, 3^in. to 3Jin.). 



It is a native of Brazil, from Bahia to the boundaries of 

 Bolivia, and is one of those species which have only been known 

 in later times. The travellers Spix, Natterer, and Burmeister 

 give no information as to its life in freedom. 



Although it is rarely imported alive, and is scarcely to be 

 found even in the most important zoological collections, yet Mr. 

 Schmalz, Ministerial secretary, of Vienna, at one time succeeded 

 in obtaining five specimens, of which he tells us : " Even in 

 a few days they became accustomed to my presence, although 

 they were at first very shy, and I was then enabled to con- 

 vince myself that they were parrots of a high degree of in- 

 telligence. One had a festering wound from a bite, which I was 

 obliged to clean and wash out daily with a sponge. The bird at 



