Account of a Parrot hatched at Rome. %4'^ 



tsctts nobilis of Linnaeus *. In my opinion Linnaeus alluded 

 to fome fpeciesof Ara, as the individuals in queflion have not 

 their cheeks bare. There can be no doubt that the female 

 is the real Amazon, but it is difficult to determine to what 

 fpecies the male belongs. It is poflible that the latter may 

 be the male of this fpecies, and that ornilhologifts may have 

 examined and defcrlbed only the female, and may have fup- 

 poled both to be perfectly fimilar; which, however, is rarely 

 the cafe. It cannot be clafled cither with the fpecies ap- 

 proaching the yellow- headed Amazon, and known und^r the 

 name of the baftard Amazon, or dcmi-Amazon ; for none of 

 thefe have yellow breeches on the thighs : to obtain, there- 

 fore, a complete hiliory of thefe birds, it would be neceflary 

 to dcfcribe always both the male and the female. 



The voung parrot, when examined at the third month, 

 had the head and lower part of the neck yellow, like the fa- 

 ther : its length from the root of the bill was r.bout lo inches, 

 and, at four months, ii inches. The body is exactly like 

 that of the father; but its plumage is of a much livelier and 

 more fplendid green. The tips of the wings arc orange, the 

 fmall red feathers being interl'perfed with yellow ; it has the 

 yellow breeches, but lels tufted than ihofe of the father; the 

 fame leg?, gray feet, and black claws: the bill is gray, and 

 blackifli at the point. The eye till the third month was gray, 

 and the iris of the fame colour; but it gradually changed, 

 and at the fourth month it was yellow. I have no doubt 

 that it will become orange, like that of the f^uhcr. Its tongue 

 is very black, and the noftrils well niarkcd : tb.c progrcfs it 

 has made in lize during the courfe of four moutiis, induces 

 me to thmk that it will itill grow, and become larger than 

 the father. 



TJiis living individual may afford an opportunity of making 

 many important obfervations^ which it would be intcrelting 

 to follow. 



I ft. To know at what age it will attain to its full growth. 



2d, Whether any change will take place in its plumage. 



3d, At what aae it will be in a Hate to procreaie. 



4lh, How many years it will live. 



1 have requefted the owner of this parrot to attend to the 

 three firft articles; for, in regard to the duration of life, as 

 I believe it to be very long, it can be known only to the 

 lecond or third generation after us. I have begged him alfo 

 to n<Me down to what age the mother will lay. At prclcnt 

 Ihe nnid be about twenty years of age, for it is about ftflceu 



■* Linn. Flift. Nat. cd. 10. p. 97., td. ij. p. 140 

 \«H..XIL No. 47. Q finre 



