PARROTS 



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the danger is past. During the breeding season the uropygial gland of 

 the female secretes a very evil- smelling fluid, and as the old birds, more- 

 over, do not remove the droppings of the young, the nest usually gives 

 out a most disgusting stench. Hence its popular name in Germany, 

 " stink-bird." 



ORDER IV. : PARROTS (PSITTACI). 



THE upper mandible is less in length than in height, and very movably 

 articulated with the frontal bone. The lower mandible short and broad. 

 The tongue thick and fleshy. Feet " scansorial." Young helpless. 



The parrots, with few exceptions, are inhabitants of the tropical zone. 

 None are therefore found in Europe, though they occur in all the other 

 continents. The majority inhabit primeval forests, but some frequent 

 barren steppes, while others even ascend lofty mountain-ranges (Andes 

 of South America) far above the limit of trees. The numerous species of 

 parrots differ considerably in their mode of life and habits. This is a 

 natural consequence of the fact that they live under different natural 

 conditions, in so far as the conditions prevailing in the aboriginal 

 forests of one country or continent are unlike those of another. (Com- 

 pare, for instance, the forests along the Amazon with the Australian 

 Bush.) We shall therefore here confine ourselves to the consideration 

 of the parrots of one particular region, viz., the tropical forests of South 

 America. 



i. Plumage. 



Green is the predominant colour, and by rendering the birds almost 

 invisible in the dense crowns of the giant trees of these forests, with their 

 evergreen foliage, serves as an effective protection from their enemies. 

 (When would a green plumage be extremely dangerous to the birds of 

 an English wood or European forest ? Compare with nightingale.) 

 Nor are these birds rendered conspicuous by the red, blue, yellow, or 

 white colour which usually adorns some part of their plumage, since 

 many of these forest trees bear throughout the whole year large many- 

 coloured blossoms. Their branches, moreover, are usually covered with 

 the gay-coloured blossoms of numerous parasitic plants (e.g., orchids), 

 while their crowns are interlaced by numbers of climbing and twining 

 plants, which also produce bright-coloured flowers. Moreover, in many 

 of these birds the coloured portions of the plumage are covered by the 

 inconspicuously green-coloured wings, and only become visible during 

 flight. 



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