PARROT. 



395 



are later in coming 1 than usual, and at such times the 

 forest supply gives way, and their closest inhabitants 

 arc compelled to range abroad Tor subsistence. This 

 is sometimes the case with the bine and yellow mac- 

 caws ; and when it is the case, they assemble in 

 Hocks, take a lofty flight, and .give notice of their 

 approach by the loudness of their scream. They arc- 

 birds of very powerful wing, and have much command 

 of themselves in the air. Their wings are very 

 pointed, and their tails are exceedingly long, stiff, 

 and wedge-shaped ; hence they are enabled to le >.p 

 about in the air with the same apparent ease as if 

 they were leaping from one solid perch to another. 

 They less frequently invade the plantations than 

 sonic of the species already mentioned ; but when 

 they do, they are equally destructive. When they 

 alight on their journeys, in order to rest for the night, 

 or for a time, it is always on the tops of the loftiest 

 trees ; and they never alight without wheeling 1 round 

 and round in the air, us it in order to ascertain if any 

 danger is near, before they take their repose ; and 

 while they are reposing, it is generally understood 

 that they have a watch set, which never fails to give 

 timely warning in case of necessity. In the con- 

 struction of their nests, and the whole of their 

 domestic economy, they bear so close a resemblance 

 to the other species of maccaws, that it is not neces- 

 sary to enter into any particulars. Perhaps, in- 

 deed, there are no birds so similar to each other 

 in their domestic habits as all the species of the 

 maccaws. They all nestle in the holes of trees 

 have two hatches in the year two birds in each 

 hatch and are remarkably watchful both of the 

 and the young. 



This, though not the largest of the maccaws, is a 

 large species, measuring upwards of three feet in 

 length, two feet of which is occupied by the tail. 

 The bill, which is very large and strong, is altogether 

 of a black colour, and remarkably hooked and 

 pointed in the upper mandible ; the culmen of that 

 mandible, which begin? to curve down immediately 

 at its junction with the forehead, measures more than 

 three inches in length ; the lower mandible is very 

 short in proportion, but it is exceedingly firm and 

 strong, and toothed at the extremity ; the naked 

 skin on the cheeks, which extends in a narrow line 

 along the base of the bill, and in a point toward the 

 ear-cover, is white, but under the eye it is marked by 

 slender curved lines of black feathers, having their 

 curvature directed downwards ; the irides are yel- 

 lowish white, so that the eyes of this species appear 

 less conspicuous than those of many of the others ; 

 but still, from its vigilance, and the readiness with 

 which it perceives an enemy, or a proper re- 

 place, there can be no doubt that its sight is 

 keen ; above the narrow white band the forehead is 

 green, passing gradually into blue about the middle 

 of the top of the head, and then the whole of the 

 upper part is a very rich and beautiful blue ; on the 

 neck this blue is rather narrow, and the outli. 

 broken on the scapulars, but-, from the turn of the 

 wings backward, it is well deiined ; on the rum]), and 

 some of the smaller coverts of the wings, there is a 

 greenish tinge ; and indeed the whole upper pin; 

 varies a little toward green in some lights, will; 

 exception of the primary quills and tail-feathers, 

 which have a shade of purple ; all the under part is 

 rich brownish yellow, with the exception of a band of 

 black, which immediately surrounds the base of the 



lower mandible, and extends back about half way as far 

 as the naked white space on the cheeks, giving the 

 bird, when seen in profile, something the appearance of 

 having three mandibles, a large one above, a large 

 one below, and a smaller one in the middle ; the 

 yellow which marks the under part of the body 

 extends also to the whole undersides of the wings and 

 tail, so that, seen from above, the bird seems entirely 

 blue, and, seen from below, as entirely yellow ; the 

 feet are dusky, but the scales, from their being picked 

 out with white edges, give them a mottled ap- 

 pearance. 



Green Hrazi/ian Maccaw, or Maracana (M. Severus). 

 This is a small species, and may perhaps be 

 regarded as forming, a transition from the larger 

 maccaws, or maccaws properly so called, to the mac- 

 parrots. Its cheeks are naked, its fore- 

 head purple brown, and the rest, of the body plumage 

 green. The : wings and tail-feathers are blue on the 

 upper side, and dull red below. It is not. larger in the 

 body than a pigeon, being only about seventeen inches 

 in length. It is a native of Brazil, where it occurs in 

 numerous flocks, which do a great deal of mischief to 

 the coffee plantations ; though it is the pulp of the 

 coffee berry which it eats, and not the seed or part 

 which is used in commerce. It is much more familiar 

 than the larger maccaws, and visits the cultivated 

 grounds much more frequently. It is also a bird of 

 very inferior wing, and capable of taking only short 

 flights. It is easily kept in a state of domestication, 

 and very fond of being petted ; but it is jealous and 

 bad tempered, showing great hostility to strangers, 

 and especially to children. If any one is made to 

 share the attention bestowed on it, it is worked into 

 a paroxysm of rage, attempts to fly at them, and bite 

 and scratch, and never rests satisfied while those 

 who are in the habit of caressing it pay attention 

 to any other living creature. Its jealousy extends 

 even to the other members of the parrot family, and 

 it is seldom satisfied if any of the rest of them are in 

 the room with it. Thus, though it is rather a hand- 

 some bird, it is unpleasant to keep in a collection 

 among others ; and as its powers of articulation are 

 very limited, it is of no great value even to the curious, 

 when kept singly. When, however, it enjoys the 

 whole attention of those who fondle it, it can be 

 amusing ; and it expresses satisfaction in a peculiarly 

 soft sort of murmur, and occasionally utters a sound 

 having some resemblance to a laugh. 



Prince Maximilians J\I<iccaw (M. hyacinthus), is 

 another Brazilian species, of rather larger size, and 

 rich in its plumage. It is about twenty-eight inches 

 in length ; and this may be reckoned about the average 

 size of the maccaws properly so called. Its general 

 plumage is very rich hyacinth blue ; the quills and 

 tail-feathers are violet blue, with green reflections. 

 There is a yellow spot at the angle of the gape, and 

 the naked skin round the eyes, and also the feathers 

 on the chin, are the same colour. The bill and feet 

 are black. This species is darker in the general tint 

 of its plumage than most of the maccaws ; but it is at 

 the same time rich and beautiful, and a graceful bird 

 in its form. Some idea of it may be formed from the 

 figure on the plate PARROTS. 



Tricoloured Maccaw (M. tricolor}. The name of 

 this species is by no means happy, inasmuch as several 

 of the other maccaws, indeed most of them, have three 

 colours in the plumage, and generally colours which 

 contrast strongly with each other. The present one 



