352 Mr, W. A. Forbes on Eleven Weeks 



selves became visible. Only once, in a patch of forest near 

 Quipapa, did I get anywhere within shot of these birds, and 

 then they were off directly they became aware of the presence 

 of a stranger. 



87. CONURUS CACTORUM. 



Numerous living specimens of this little Parrakeet were 

 brought to me by the natives at Garanhuns, who called it 

 simply " Perriquito." I have already noticed the abundance 

 of large Cacti in the sandy districts around Garanhuns, and on 

 these, no doubt, these Parrakeets largely subsist. I never 

 succeeded in identifying the bird in a wild state, though I 

 every day saw or heard flocks of a Conurus flying high in the 

 air around Garanhuns. Prince Maximilian also met with 

 it in the Sertoes of Bahia (c/. Burmeister, Thiere Bras, ii, 

 p. 170). 



88. ChRYSOTIS iESTIVA. 



This was the only species of Chrysotis I saw at all in the 

 districts I traversed. Of it, however, one sees many dozens 

 for sale in all the shops where live birds &c. are sold in Recife, 

 and nearly every hut in the country has also its '' Papagaio." 

 In the wild state I only met with it in the forests near Para- 

 hyba, where we several times saw it, usually flying high over 

 the trees in small flocks, and, like other Parrots, vociferating 

 vigorously whilst on the wing. With the aid of my " Ca- 

 9ador," Antonio, we succeeded, after a long hunt, in finding 

 a lofty forest tree Avhere the Parrots were feeding, as evi- 

 denced by the heaps of its " shelled " fruit that lay on the 

 ground below, or came pattering down from above as we stood 

 beneath the trees. Hoping to get a good view of some 

 Parrots " at home," I proceeded to lie down on my back be- 

 neath the trees, in order to have a good look at the birds 

 above through my glasses. However, they saw us before we 

 could " spot " them, hidden as they were by the thick canopy 

 of leaves, and flew screaming off to some less disturbed spot, 

 no doubt to resume their meal on some other tree. 



The Brazilians call Chrysotis cestiva the " Papagaio " par 

 excellence. Artificially produced varieties, with more or fewer 



