AMAZONS. 



179 



cheeks also showing less scarlet and more yellow; the 

 beak much shorter and lighter, with shorter terminal 

 hook. Hab., E. Mexico and Central America to 

 Honduras and Ruatan Island. 



Speaking of this species as occurring on Ruatan 

 Island, Salvin says : " Not uncommon on the adjoin- 

 ing mainland " (The Ibis, 1889, p. 373). I have found 

 no notes describing the wild life. The Zoological 

 Society of London first acquired the species in 1869, and 

 others have been added to the Regent's Park collection 

 since that date, the last recorded in the ninth edition 

 of the " List " having been deposited in 1895. 



YELLOW-BELLIED AMAZON* (Chrysalis xanthops). 



Green, with darker edges to the feathers ; primaries 

 with bluish-green outer webs ; lateral tail-feathers with 

 the IbasaJ. half orange-red, the terminal half greenish- 

 yellow ; outer feather with green outer web ; forehead 

 and crown to the middle yellow ; cheeks and sides of 

 head greenish-yellow ; under surface paler green than 

 above ; a broad yellow abdominal belt ; a'n orange-red 

 spot on the sides ; beak dusky yellow, whitish at tip. 

 Female not differentiated. Hab., " Eastern and Central 

 Brazil, from Minas Geraes to Cuyaba." (Salvadori.) 



I have seen no notes on the wild life. Ruse says 

 (" Handbuch fur Vogelliebhaber," p. 239) : " There 

 were two specimens in K. Hagenbeck's collection." 



RED-TAILED AMAZON (Chrysotis braziliensis). 



Green, with black edges to the feathers ; front edge 

 of wing rosy ; upper wing-coverts and innermost 

 secondaries with yellowish-green edges ; primaries 

 "black, all excepting the first bluish on terminal half, 

 green at base of outer webs ; secondaries with blue 

 tips ; tail with a greenish-yellow terminal band, a 

 subterminal carmine red 'band, and on the three outer 

 feathers an inner purplish-blue band, the outer web of 

 the outer feather more than half of the latter colour; 

 front of head and lores rosy, top of head slightly 

 yellowish ; cheeks, ear-coverts, and chin purplish, bluer 

 at tips of feathers ; under surface paler green than 

 above ; under wing-coverts yellowish-green ; flights 

 "below blackish, tinged with bluish or bluish-green 

 towards base of inner webs ; tail a little duller than 

 above ; beak pale horn-colour, dusky at tip of upper 

 mandible ; feet grey. Female smaller, less red on the 

 "head and the cheeks less purplish ; beak broader at base, 

 "but narrower towards tip, and with more delicate ter- 

 minal hook. Hab., Province of San Paulo, South 

 Brazil. 



Nothing seems to be published respecting the wild 

 life of this Parrot. Two specimens reached the Zoo- 

 logical Gardens at Amsterdam in 1879, and others have 

 since been received at the London Gardens, the last 

 recorded in the ninth edition of the " List of Animals " 

 "having been purchased in 1885. 



BODINTJS' AMAZON* (Chrysotis bodini). 

 Green ; front edge of wing yellowish ; first primary 

 and inner webs of the others black ; lower back and 

 rump red ; tail with yellowish-green tip, the outer 

 feather edged with bluish on outer web ; a broad 

 frontal band dull red ; lores blackish ; feathers of top 

 and back of crown edged with dull lilac; feathers at 

 back of head edged with black ; superciliary band and 

 chin pale blue ; feathers of cheeks edged with purplish- 

 "blue ; under surface yellowish-green ; greater under 

 wing-coverts and inner -webs of flights veaxliter- green ; 

 "beak and cere blackish ; feet dark leaden grey ; irides 



yellow encircled with red. Female apparently smaller, 

 with less red on front of crown and less lilac on back 

 of crown and 'nape, the beak rather shorter and nar- 

 rower. Hab., Venezuela and British Guiana. 



This rare relative of C. f estiva has been represented 

 both in the Amsterdam and London Zoological Gardens ; 

 Russ says that since 1879, when it was first received, 

 there have been several in the market. 



FESTIVE AMAZON (Chrysotis f estiva). 



Dark grass-green, the under surface being somewhat 

 lighter, the under tail-covert yellowish-green ; the 

 forehead and a bridle streak are blood-red ; a broad 

 curved streak above the eye and a stripe on the chin 

 bright blue ; primaries black, the outer webs dark 

 blue on their basal half, coverts of the first primaries 

 and angle of wing of the same colour ; secondaries 

 green on the outer webs, black on inner webs, tipped 

 with blue, but the four last feathers uniformly green ; 

 under wing-coverts green, primaries below black, the 

 inner feathers dark green on their basal half ; tail 

 feathers green, their inner webs greyish, hinder part 

 of back and rump scarlet, the base of the feathers 

 yellowish ; bill yellowish horn-brown ; feet horn-brown ; 

 iris of eye golden yellow. Female smaller, with shorter 

 and fuller beak. Hab., Valley of the Amazons to 

 Eastern Peru and perhaps Guiana. 



According to Dr. Finsch this bird is somewhat rare, 

 and, quoting Schomburgh, he says, " Chrysotis f estiva 

 is the most learned Parrot of America, as it not only 

 speaks very plainly, but also learns to whistle entire 

 melodies. It is, therefore, most highly prized by the 

 Indians, and they require a much greater fee for it. In 

 its manner of life it does not differ from its allies." 

 Selby also isays that " it is docile and easily trained, 

 and, being of an imitative disposition, readily learns to 

 pronounce words and sentences with great clearness 

 and precision." 



Dr. Russ says : " It does not count among the best 

 speakers, and therefore is little admired. Rare in the 

 trade." 



The Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton is inclined to 

 think well of this bird, although of the two which passed 

 through his hands neither was tame or talked. 



The general evidence tends to show that the Festive 

 Amazon is hardly worth purchasing at the high price at 

 which it is usually offered. It was first secured for 

 the London Zoological Gardens in 1865. and several 

 other examples have been received subsequently. 



RED-FRONTED AMAZON (Chrysotis vittata). 



Green, with black edges to the feathers ; bastard- 

 wing, primary-coverts and outer webs of primaries 

 blue ; 'outermost secondaries blue ; tail green with the 

 terminal edge yellowish, as also the inner webs of the 

 lateral feathers, which are, moreover, generally more 

 or less red at base ; outer feathers with blue outer 

 webs ; under surface paler green than above ; a narrow 

 red frontal hand ; beak yellowish ; naked orbital skin 

 whitish ; feet brownish flesh-colour ; irides yellow. 

 Female probably with shorter and stouter beak. Hab., 

 Porto Rico. 



I have not come across any notes on the wild life. 

 Russ says that it is "common, but little known," and 

 he states the German price to be from 20-30 marks. 

 It has heen represented at the London Zoological 

 Gardens since June, 1869, the last specimen recorded 

 in the ninth edition of the " List of Animals " having 

 been purchased in 1895. 



