178 



FOREIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



descriptions of that species which have arisen from 

 confounding the two (both in Russ' and Greene's books). 

 C. rhodomrt/lha, purchased in 1883, is recognised as dis- 

 tinct in the ninth edition of the Zoological Society's 

 "List." 



Green-cheeked Amazon (Chryxotis viiiiliijena). 



Above green, below brighter ; feathers with black 

 edges, most strongly marked on back of- head and hind 

 neck; front edge of wing pale-green; base of outer 

 webs of first five secondaries crimson, forming a 

 speculum ; primaries black, all excepting the first, with 

 green outer webs and bluish-black tips ; secondaries 

 with deep blue tips ; tail green, the terminal half 

 yellowish-green, this colouring more restricted on the 

 two central feathers ; crown and lores crimson, yellow 

 at the base of the feathers ; a deep blue band from 

 above the eyes down the sides of the neck ; cheeks 

 and ear-coverts bright grass-green : beak yellowish- 

 white, or whitish-yellowish-grey ; feet yellowish 

 horn-grey, sometimes bluish-grey ; irides reddish-yellow 

 to pale straw-yellow (the latter probably indicating 

 the female colouring). Female with the red on the 

 crown more restricted, her beak also slightly less heavy 

 in character. Hab., Eastern ilexico. 



I have found no account of the free life of this 

 Amazon ; it was originally entered in the Zoological 

 Society's list as coming from Columbia (not 

 "Colombia," as indicated in the catalogue of birds. 

 The first example was purchased in 1853. and others 

 have been secured from time to time, the last re- 

 corded in the ninth edition of the list having been 

 purchased in 1892. 



Finsch's Amazon {CJiri/sotis finschi). 



Above deep grass-green, lighter and yellower below ; 

 the feathers with blackish or black edges ; feathers of 

 hind-neck faintly lilac-banded ; front edge of wing pale 

 green ; primaries black, the outer webs green at base, deep 

 blue at tips ; first five secondaries red at base, forming 

 a speculum ; tips of secondaries deep blue ; tail with 

 a broad yellowish-green terminal belt, narrower on the 

 two central feathers ; outer feather edged with blue at 

 base of outer web ; frontal band e.xtending to lores 

 deep red ; beak yellowish-white ; feet pale grey, irides 

 orange. Female smaller and rather duller in colouring 

 than the male ; the beak, seen from above, broader, 

 shorter, and with coarser terminal hook. Hab., Wes- 

 tern Mexico, from Sinaloa to Tehuantepec " (Salva- 

 dori). 



In C. W. Beebe's "Two Bird-lovers in Mexico," pp. 

 182-183, we read : — " Several times during our stay 

 we saw a beautiful sunset flight of Finsch Amazon 

 Parrots. A flock of 200 or more, massed together as 

 closely as possible, appeared high in air, alternately 

 soaring and fluttering. Then the entire flock swung 

 earthward in a magnificent loop, from wall to wall of 

 the barranca, the delicate lavender edgings of the 

 feathers showing plainly as they swept past with a 

 loud whirr of wings, each little foot clinched tightly 

 close to the tail-feathers. Upward they went again, 

 swinging together with a grace and unison of which 

 one never gets a hint from caged specimens." 



This rare Amazon was first presented to the 

 Zoological Society of London in 1874, and would seem 

 not to have been received there since that date. Russ 

 says of it " very rare," yet only puts the German price 

 at from 30 to 60 marks, or, roughly speaking, £1 10s. 

 to £3 per specimen. 



Diademed Amazon (Chrysotis diademata). 



Green, slightly mealy, with somevvhat dusky edges to 

 the feathers, lilac-edged feathers on the hind neck; 

 front edge of wing yellowish-green; primaries black, 

 deep blue at tips, outer webs green at base ; secondaries 

 deep blue at tips, the bases of inner webs of first five 

 secondaries red, forming a speculum ; lateral tail- 

 feathers with a broad yellow-green terminal belt ; inner 

 webs red at base, outer webs blue ; forehead crimson 

 shading into deep purplish-red on the lores ; crown 

 lilac ; back of head greenish-yellow ; chin vinous-red ; 

 under tail-coverts and smaller under wing-coverts 

 yellowish-green ; beak dusky, yellowish at base of upper 

 "mandible ; feet greyish-black. Female probably with 

 shorter teak than the miail'e. Hab., Rio Solimoes, 

 Amazons. 



I have found no notes respecting the wild life. 

 Salvadori says, " This bird seems extremely rare," and 

 Russ says, '"'Rare in the trade"; but the price which 

 he mentions (30 marks) hardly bears out that state- 

 ment. The Zoological Society of London purchased a 

 specimen in 1894. 



Salvin's Amazon (Chrysotis salvini). 



Green, slightly mealy, with somewhat dusky edges to 

 the feathers ; feathers of crown, back of head, and hind 

 neck with lilac edges, the last mentioned narrowly 

 edged with black ; front edge of wing pale green ; first 

 primary black, the others also black, but deep blue 

 at tips, and with the outer webs green at base ; secon- 

 daries deep blue at tips, the first five with the inner 

 webs red at base, forming a speculum ; tail with a 

 broad terminal yellowish-green belt, narrower on the 

 two central feathers ; lateral feathers I'ed on inner 

 webs, the outer one edged with blue at base of outer 

 web ; frontal band, extending to lores, crimson ; under 

 surface paler than above ; under tail-coverts yellowish- 

 green ; beak dusky, whitish horn- colour at base of 

 upper mandible ; feet dusky ; irides red. Female 

 smaller and duller ; her beak much shorter, slightly 

 narrower, and more arched. Hab., " From Nicaragua, 

 Costa Rica, Veragua, and Panama, in Central America, 

 to Colombia, and also to Rio Negro, in the Amazon 

 Valley " (Salvadori). 



I have not come across any notes relating to the 

 wild life. Though nearly related to the preceding 

 species, Salvin's Amazon seems to be less rare. Russ 

 does not mention it in his handbook, but it is quite 

 likely that he may have confounded it with the 

 Diademed Amazon ; it stands under that name in the 

 fifth to eighth editions of the Zoological Society's list 

 of «:!iinials. Tlie first specimen pua'chaised for the 

 Gardens was secured in 1871, and since then others have 

 been exhibited there. 



Yellow-cheeked Amazon [Chrysotis autumnalis). 

 Green ; front edge of wing yellowish-green ; primaries 

 black, all excepting the first, with the base of the 

 outer webs green, and the tips blue-black ; secondaries 

 with blue tips, and the usual scarlet speculum ; tail 

 with a broad terminal yellowish-green belt on the 

 lateral feathers ; the outey feather edged with blue on 

 outer web ; forehead and lores scarlet ; feathers of 

 crown, back of head, and nape lilac towards the tips, 

 and edged with blackish ; upper part of cheeks from 

 beak to ear-coverts yellow, crimson at base of feathers ; 

 lesser under wing-coverts yellowish-green, the others 

 and inner webs of flights grass-green ; beak pale horn- 

 colour, dusky at tip of upper mandible ; feet pale 

 greenish-ashy ; irides orange-yellow. Female smaller 

 than the male; the scarlet frontal band narrower, the 



