The late 0. E. Cressivell — Parrots



89



depositing eggs in the bare bottoms of trees ; any exception to this

rule is therefore of interest.


We come now to the New World. When first the great explorers

of the fifteenth century set foot on American soil, of all the wonders

of the New World nothing can have struck them more than the

marvellous beauty of the feathered tribe. In North America we have

but one Parrot, the Carolina Conure. Central America, South America,

and the West Indian Islands are rich in gorgeous examples of the tribe.

I will select the three most important tribes of this Continent for brief

description. They are the Macaws, the Amazons, and the Conures.


We probably all know the Macaws, at one time looking so quiet in

their solemn stateliness and then nearly cracking the drums of our ears

with their piercing shrieks. They are natives of the vast forests of

Brazil and Guiana, and in a natural state, as in captivity, are most

destructive. I have already alluded to their great power of varying

their voice and imitating the tones of individual human utterances.

An anecdote is told of a raw Austrian recruit who was brought to

Vienna ; he saw a Grand Military Macaw standing solemn and motion¬

less on a stand ; he walked round and round it gaping. At last the bird

said “ You blockhead ”. The frightened recruit saluted humbly, and

gasped out “ I beg your honour’s pardon ; I thought you were a bird ! ”


The Macaws are very many ; about six species are often imported.

First and greatest, not so often seen as others, is the Hyacinthine—

as its name implies, of blue shades. A gigantic bird, the largest of

the Psittacidae, it has not the bare skin on the face seen in most Macaws.

Then there is the well-known Blue and Orange species ; the Green or

Noble Macaw, with a dash of crimson on the wing ; the splendid

Military Macaw of green tones, with rich red tail; the still more

gorgeous Red and Blue Macaw, with dashes of green ; least in size of

the great tribe is Illigers, but not least, I think, in interest or intelligence.

A specimen of mine began captive life under evil influence ; he went

to a dealer because his master went to prison ; he came to me because

the dealer owed me money and could not pay it; I neglected his

education because I did not want a Macaw ! He is entirely a self-

made person—says many things in many voices—is very affectionate,

though a little uncertain—and after learning all the Cockie used to say

has practically silenced him from his jealousy.



