CHAPTER VII. 
Tar Parrots AND PIGEONS. 
Tue Parrots are so different from all other birds that 
all ornithologists are agreed in giving them an order to 
themselves. They vary a great deal in size and colour 
but are always easily recognized. Their beak is exceed- 
ingly short and thick, and very much hooked; the upper 
jaw being moveable as well as the lower, in order to give 
sufficient play under the circumstances. Their shanks 
are very short, and, like the toes, covered with many very 
small wart-like scales; the toes are in pairs, the outer 
front toe being turned backwards. 
Most of them use the feet as hands, holding pieces of 
food in one while they eat it. Another very characteristic 
habit of Parrots, and one almost confined to them, is the 
use of the beak as a third leg in climbing ; indeed, the way 
in which they clamber about the boughs is very charac. 
teristic. As a rule, they keep to the trees, and when on 
the ground move with an awkward waddle. They are good 
flyers, but the style of flight differs a good*deal. Their 
nests are almost invariably in holes of trees, &c., without 
any lining; and the eggs are always pure white. The young 
are usually naked at first, and fledge off very like the 
parents. When small, they are fed by the old birds from 
the crop, and as they will gape for food, are easy to rear. 
