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The Catoues {Caica) are a small South American 

 genus containing but three species. Two of these, the 

 Black-headed Caique, and the Yellow-thighed Caique, 

 are occasionally imported, and are said to be hard}-, 

 affectionate, and good talkers. The Yellow-thighed 

 Caique {C. xauthomera) is the rarer of the two; the 

 upper parts are green, the head and neck orange-yellow, 

 the l)reast and abdomen cream colour, the thighs and 

 flanks yellow. Tlie Black-heade<l Caique [C. melano- 

 cephala) is somewhat similar in appearance, but has the 

 top of the head and the naked skin around the eye 

 black, and the flanks and thighs orange. Each is about 

 nine inches in length. 



PcEOCEPHALUS. — Nearly allied to the Pionus Parrots 

 are Jardine's Parrot [P. gidielmi) and the Senegal Parrot 

 {P. senegabis) which inhabit the central part of West 

 Africa. These species are somewhat delicate when first 

 imported, but hardy enough when once acclimatised. 

 Jardine's Parrot is about iiins. in length, of a bright 

 green colour, the forehead, thighs, and bend of the wing 

 orange-red, and the lores and tail black. The Senegal 

 Parrot is a commoner bird and smaller than Jardine's. 

 The head and throat of this species are grey, the upper 

 part of the body and a band across the breast green, the 

 lower breast aud abdomen orange-yellow. Individuals 

 of both these species learn to talk, but the majority do 

 not. Canon Dutton, however, considers Jardine's Parrot 

 the most desirable of all Parrots as a cage bird, placing 

 it above even the Grey and Amazon Parrots. 



The Vasa Parrots {Coi-acopsis) may be described 

 as humble relations of the Grey Parrot ; there are 

 five species, varying in size from the Great Vasa (6'. vasa) 

 which measures 2oins., to the Praslin Parrot {C. barklyi) 

 which is I2ins. in length. All are alike of a dingy brown- 

 ish-black colour, and though they are reported by those 

 who have kept them to have many good qualities, 

 their very unattractive appearance prevents them from 

 becoming popular. A Great Vasa Parrot in the parrot 

 house at the Zoo for years enjoyed the distinction of 



