PSITTACID.E — THE PARROTS. 



587 



though three others are found in Mexico, and many more in South and 

 Central America. A few species occur in the West Indies. 



Conurus carolinensis, Kuhl. 



PARAKEET; CAROLINA PARROT; ILLINOIS PARROT. 



Psittaca carolinensis, Bkisson, Ornitli. II, 1762, 138. Psittacus carolinensis, Linn. Syst. 

 Nat. I, 1758, 97 ; 1766, 141 (iiec Scopoli). — Wilson, Am. Orn. Ill, 1811, 89, pi. 

 xxvi, fig. 1. — AuD. Orn. Biog. I, 1832, 135, pi. xxvi. Conurus carolinensis, Kuhl, 

 Nova Acta K. L. C. 1830. — Bon. List, 1838. — Pr. Max. Cabanis Journ. fiir Orn. 

 V, March, 1857, 97. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 57. — Finsch, Papagei. I, 1857, 

 478. — ScL. Cat. 1862, 347. — Allen, B. E. Fla. 308. Centm-us carolinensis, Aud. 

 Syn. 1839, 189. — Ib. Birds Am. IV, 1842, 306, pi. cclxxviii. Psittacus ludovicianus, 

 Gm. Syst. I, 1788, 347. Psittacus thalassinus, Vieill. Ency. Meth. 1377. Conurus 

 ludovicianus, Gray. Catal. Br. Mus. Psittac. 1859, 36 (makes distinct species from 

 carolinensis). Carolina parrot, Catesby, Car. I, tab. xi. — Latham, Syn. I, 227. — 

 Pennant, II, 242. Orange-headed parrot, Latham, Syn. I, 304. 



Sp. Char. Head and neck all round gamboge-yellow ; the forehead, from above the 

 eyes, with the sides of the head, pale 

 brick-red. Body generally with tail 

 green, with a yellowish tinge beneath. 

 Outer webs of primaries bluish-green, 

 yellow at the base ; secondary coverts 

 edged with yellowish. Edge of wing- 

 yellow, tinged with red ; tibice yellow. 

 Bill white. Legs flesh-color. Length, 

 about 13.00 ; wing, 7.50 ; tail, 7.10. 

 Young with head and neck green. 

 Female with head and neck green ; the 

 forehead, lores, and suffusion round the 

 eyes, dark red, and without the yellow 

 of tibiae and edge of wing. Size con- 

 siderably less. 



Hab. Southern and Southwestern 

 States and Mississippi Valley ; north to 

 the Great Lakes and Wisconsin. 



This species was once very- 

 abundant in the United States 

 east of the Eocky Mountains, be- 

 ing known throughout the South- 

 ern States, and the entire valley of the INIississippi, north to the Great 

 Lakes. Stragglers even penetrated to Pennsylvania, and one case of their 

 reaching Albany, IST. Y., is on record. Xow, however, they are greatly 

 restricted. In Florida they are yet abundant, but, according to Dr. Coues, 

 tliey are scarcely entitled to a place in the fauna of South Carolina. In 

 Western Louisiana, Arkansas, and the Indian Territory, they are still found 

 iit considerable numbers, straggling over the adjacent States, but now seldom 



W) 



Conurus carolinensis. 



