THE WEDGE-TAILED PARRAKEETS. 219 



of the belly ; tlie beak brownish-black ; cere blackish ; eyes 

 grey, orange-yellow, or reddish-brown ; a narrow, greyish-brown, 

 featherless circle round the eye ; the feet blackish-brown ; claws 

 black. Size, that of a thrush (length, llin. ; wings, o^in. to 

 6in. ; longest feathers in the tail, 4;lin. to 5|-in. ; outermost 

 feathers of the tail, 2iin. to 2Jin.). 



In its native habitat (South America) it is found over a 

 large tract of country, from Paraguay and Bolivia to Guiana 

 and Surinam, and is exceedingly numerous. Travellers, in 

 particular Prince Wied, and also Natterer, mention as its home 

 the steppes and smaller woods in the neighbourhood of the 

 coast, but not the primeval forest. 



It was described by old Markgraf in 1648, then mentioned by 

 Brisson in 1760, scientifically named by Gmelin in 1788, and is 

 among the most anciently known of the parrots, as well as being 

 one of the earliest to be imported alive. Buffon spoke in praise 

 of the Golden-crowned Conure (which, however, he wrongly sub- 

 divided into two varieties), as being clever, engaging, and an 

 excellent speaker. 



In the present day this species is one of the commonest 

 objects in the market, and is a favourite for the aviary and 

 ornamental cages, although its shrill cry is wearisome ; but in 

 this respect it is by no means so disagreeable as its congeners. 

 This parrakeet is also very hardy, unless, of course, it be sickly 

 when bought. The majority of those imported are young birds, 

 which are at first very delicate. The breeding of this variety 

 has been attended, at least in one instance, with success, for Mr. 

 C. Wenzel, a tradesman, of Danzig, has reared some young ones 

 which have become fully fledged. 



It is interesting as being one of the best speakers among the 

 Oonures, as will be seen from two descriptions from which I 

 will quote. Mr. Schneider, master of the grammar school at 

 Wittstock, states that he had a very tame Half-moon Parrakeet 

 which could whistle, sneeze, and the like, and said some words, 

 such as "Ara," "Papa," &c. The accounts given by Dr. 

 Stolker, of St. Fiden, are extremely interesting. This orni- 

 thologist received a Half-moon Parrakeet in a miserable 

 state, but it soon recovered, and began, when fed, to cry, 

 "Please! please I" if it wished for fruit or the like. Then 

 it learnt the words, "That is good, very good ! " and, "Good 

 day! how do you do ? ''^ — "Well, very well." If Dr. Stolker 

 asked the question, the parrakeet answered as above. After- 



