149 



with it, will learn to talk more or less. As a rule, 

 a Parrot must be carefully taught, if it is to be uiade a 

 good talker, b}' repeating each sentence until it has 

 learned it. A Grey Parrot I now have was taught for 

 six months before he would say a word, but when he 

 once began he soon learned a number of sentences. 

 Grey Parrots are almost always shy talkers and will 

 seldom perform before strangers. 



The Amazon Parrots [Chrysotls) are natives of 

 Central and vSouth America and the West Indies. Of 

 this genus forty-two species are known, about twelve 

 being imported as cage birds. With the single ex- 

 ception of Guildmg's Amazon, which is orange brown, 

 the prevailing colour of each species is green, the 

 principal differences between the various species being 

 in the markings about the forehead and cheeks. In size 

 they var}' from Guilding's Amazon, which measures 

 iSius. in length, to the Wliite-browed, which is little 

 over loins. and is the smallest species. The Amazons 

 are decidedly hardy birds, and require the same treat- 

 ment as the Gre}' Parrot. The best talkers and mimics 

 are found, as a rule, among the Levaillant's or Double- 

 fronted (6". levaillauti), the Blue-fronted (C. cestiva), and 

 the Festive or Red-fronted {C. f estiva). Many individuals 

 of these species attain a very high degree of flnency, 

 and are generally less averse than the Gre}^ Parrot from 

 displaying their attainments, but the proportion of 

 complete failures is decidedly greater among the 

 Amazons than among the Grej-s. 



One of the rarest species imported is the Diademed 

 Amazon {C diademata). It appears to be exceedingly 

 uncommon even in Brazil, and its range is not exacth' 

 known. As in the other Amazons, the distinguishing 

 features consist in markings abovit the head, the 

 forehead being crimson, the crown lilac, the occiput 

 greenish yellow, and the feathers of the hind-neck 

 green edged with lilac. It is as large as the Blue-fronted 

 Amazon. The Diademed is sometimes mistaken for the. 

 less rare Sal villi's Amazon {C. salvini) but the latter can 



