JACAMARS, PARROTS, AND TROGONS. 47 



ceased to engage my attention the woods were get- 

 ting dusky again, and the night birds were stirring. 

 It was perhaps two miles back to camp, but I had 

 come by a circuitous course, and resolved to open up 

 a more direct path between the two places without 

 delay. 



Psittacus, the parrot (for that was his name — Psit- 

 tacusfestivus ^\ was still undaunted, and showed me 

 what he meant to do when once he had regained his 

 freedom. I made a soft bed of moss for him in my 

 game basket, carried him carefully to camp, and that 

 night constructed a temporary cage out of a biscuit 

 box. He raged like a fury, at first, when let loose, 

 but finally accepted the situation, ate the cracker I 

 gave him, and settled down quietly for the night. 



* The Psittacus festivus, or " festive parrot," inhabits the 

 north part of South America — Guiana, Cayenne, the Brazils, and 

 particularly the lower Amazons. ... It is docile and easily tamed, 

 and being of an imitative disposition, readily learns to pronounce 

 words and sentences with great clearness and precision. — Natural- 

 ist's Library. 



