PARROT. 



'893 



standing the offensive noise that they make, they are 

 often tolerated as ornamental birds out of doors, where 

 they are very bold in defending 1 themselves. 



The Great Green Maccaw (M. mililaris) is one of 

 the largest species, and far from being the least hand- 

 some. It is not, however, the very largest of the 

 whole ; for some of them exceed it, though the excess 

 is more in the length of the tail than in the size of 

 the body. The bill is dark-coloured, generally very 

 deep blackish brown, and remarkable for its strength ; 

 the claws are also black, and very strong and worked; 

 the colours are fine in the tint, and decidedly marked ; 

 the naked parts round the eyes and on the cheeks 

 are flesh-coloured, marked, especially toward the 

 under part, with slight longitudinal curves of blackish 

 brown feathers. The eyes show very remarkably in 

 this species ; tor the iris consists of a double circle, 

 the external one bright yellow, and the internal a 

 sort of sage green. The front is very rich crimson 

 in rather a narrow band ; and the feathers on the 

 chin are reddish brown, passing gradually into bright 

 green, which is the general colour of the breast and 

 belly. The plumage on the upper part is a varying 

 colour, appearing green in some lights and azure in 

 others, both of which are very lively. The rump 

 and upper coverts of the tail, and also the quills and 

 greater coverts of the wings, are bright blue ; the tail 

 feathers are scarlet on the upper part, with the ex- 

 ception of a portion at the tips ; and the under sides 

 of the wings and tail are orange-yellow. 



This bird is an inhabitant of tropical America, ex- 

 tending from Mexico to the base of the Andes ; and, 

 though it cannot be called a mountain bird properly- 

 speaking, it inhabits at greater elevations than many 

 others of the tribe, being met with on the secondary 

 hills at considerably more than half a mile above the 

 sea. These birds are very numerous; and, though 

 they breed each pair apart, in the hole of a tree, they 

 assemble in flocks at those times when they have not 

 young, which are generally the times when their 

 forest pastures are least productive. As long as pro- 

 vision is to be found upon these, they subsist upon it, 

 eating indiscriminately the fruits and the succulent 

 flowers, which latter, upon some of the tropical trees, 

 contain a good deal of nourishment ; the honey with 

 .which the nectaries of many such flowers abound is, 

 however, the probable inducement which the birds 

 have to tear the (lowers to pieces. Many birds are 

 fond of sweet substances ; the parrots, taken as a 

 family, are especially so ; and some of the small spe- 

 cies which inhabit the rich perennial forests of the 

 eastern world are understood to feed much upon the 

 honey of flowers. When their supply in the forest 

 fails they are said to sally forth in very numerous 

 flocks, at which times they attack the plantations of 

 the inhabitants, especially those of Indian corn, upon 

 which they commit very serious depredations. Upon 

 these their predatory excursions, they conduct them- 

 selves with great vigilance, and always place one 

 sentinel or more upon the tops of lofty trees. These 

 sentinels, which are relieved by turns by others of 

 the birds, are said to keep a sharp look out, and to 

 detect the appearance of danger, while it is still far 

 distant from the plunderers. Upon perceiving it they 

 give a very loud alarm call, which is at once responded 

 to by the rest, and the whole are instantly on the 

 wing, and soaring above the reach of any ordinary 

 missile weapon. January and February are the times 

 during which they make their appearance upon the 



plantations in the central parts of America ; and 

 when the rains set in they betake themselves to the 

 forests, and live upon the bounty which nature there 

 so amply provides for them. As game, these birds 

 would be of comparatively little value; for their flesh 

 is black and hard, and unsavoury to the taste ; arid 

 those inhabitants who are near their haunts have no 

 alternative but to submit to their depredations with 

 as good a grace as they can. 



Scarlet and Blue Maccaw (M. Macao]. This is 

 also a large species, and remarkable for the brilliancy 

 of its colours. It measures upwards of two feet and 

 a half in length. The prevailing colour is scarlet, 

 the wings blue, and the wing-coverts variously marked 

 with yellow ; tiie tail bright red, with blue margins 

 to the feathers ; the naked parts of the cheeks are 

 white and very much wrinkled ; and the upper man- 

 dible of the bill is also white. They inhabit the 

 same part of the world as the last-mentioned species, 

 namely, the tropical parts of South America. They 

 do not, however, inhabit exactly the same localities ; 

 but dwell deeper in the forests, make the different 

 species of palms their principal residence, and feed in 

 great part upon the fruit of these. They are never 

 found in so dry situations as the former species; and 

 they do not commit the same extensive depredations 

 upon the planted fields. It is also said that they do 

 not flock so often , though, when they do, their flocks 

 are exceedingly clamorous. They always choose 

 high perches; and, when reposing, they are generally 

 on the summits of the highest trees. They are rather 

 discursive during the day, ranging about for several 

 miles ; but as night begins to set in they return to 

 their habitual resting-places, as regularly as the 

 rooks. They build in hollow trees, and line their 

 nests with feathers. The eggs in each hatch, for 

 there are understood to be two in the year, are two 

 in number, about the size of the egg of a pigeon, 

 and mottled something like those of a partridge. 

 The time of the incubation is not distinctly known ; 

 but it is well ascertained that both parent birds are 

 remarkably attentive to their offspring. They sit 

 alternately, so that as one goes out to teed, the other 

 invariably takes its place ; and, after the young are 

 hatched, the old birds nurse them with great atten- 

 tion, until they are able to provide for themselves. 

 The feeding of the young, like their own feeding, is 

 wholly conducted in the light of day ; and at night, 

 and also when he rests during the day, the male takes 

 up his perch very near the nest. By means of this 

 constant habit of theirs, the nest is not difficult to be 

 discovered; only it is very often over the damp and 

 swampy grounds, where the footing is bad and the 

 forest very much tangled. The young birds are 

 susceptible of being tamed, though they never become 

 very tractable; and they may be made to articulate 

 a few words, but not distinctly. Comparatively 

 speaking, they are hardy birds in confinement, and 

 live to a great age. When the old ones are con- 

 fined they are exceedingly mischievous ; and, if kept 

 in a room, their chief occupation consists in pulling 

 the furniture to pieces ; and, so hard is their bill, and 

 so dexterous are they in the use of it, that they can 

 draw nails with it, if the heads are such that they 

 can get a proper hold of them. Their flesh, like 

 that of the former species, is hard, dark-coloured, 

 and unpleasant to the taste of a European ; but si ill 

 the Indians, the negroes, and even the poorer white 

 inhabitants of South America, contrive to use it 



