The Ring Paroquet. 301 



the soft fruits, but sucks them by pressing its tongue 

 against the upper part of its beak : and the harder sort 

 of food, such as bread and pastry, it bruises, or chews, by 

 pressing the tip of the lower upon the most hollow part 

 of the upper mandible. 



TJie Scarlet Macaw (M. Macao) is another large species, 

 of a bright red colour, with some blue and yellow 

 feathers on the wings, and blue ones about the base ot 

 the tail. It was formerly common in the West Indian 

 Islands, but has now become rare there. Its voice is 

 very loud and harsh. 



THE KING PAKOQUET. (Palceornis Alexandri.) 



THIS beautiful species, no less remarkable for the ele- 

 gance of its form than for its docility and imitative 

 powers, is supposed to have been the first of the parrot 

 species known to the ancients, from the time of Alex- 

 ander the Great down to the age of Nero. It is about 

 fifteen inches long ; its bill is thick and red ; the head 

 and the body a bright green; the neck, breast, and the 

 whole of the under side of a paler tint. It has a red 

 circle, or ring, which encompasses the neck, and is about 

 the breadth of a little finger at the back ; but grows nar- 

 rower by degrees towards the sides, and ends under the 

 lower bill. The lower part of the body is of so faint 

 a green, that it seems almost yellow. The tail also is of 

 a yellowish green, and the legs and feet ash-coloured. 



