THE PARROT. 



117 



gardens. In other places they are not so des- 

 tructive, but sufficiently common ; and, indeed, 

 there is scarce a country of the tropical cli- 

 mates that has not many of the common kinds, 

 as well as some peculiarly its own. Travel- 

 lers have counted more than a hundred differ- 

 ent kinds on the continent of Africa only : 

 there is one country in particular, north of the 

 Cape of Good Hope, which takes its name 

 from the multitude of parrots which are seen 

 in its woods. There are white parrots seen 

 in the burning regions of Ethiopia : in the 

 East Indies they are of the largest size ; in 

 South America they are docile and talkative ; 

 in all the islands of the Pacific sea and the 

 Indian ocean, they swarm in great variety 

 and abundance, and add to the splendour of 

 those woods which Nature has dressed in eter- 

 nal green. 1 



1 The family of parrots are divided by some modern 

 naturalists into six different groups. 



I. The Macaws. Tail long and pointed ; cheeks 

 naked. 



II. The Parrakeets. Tail long and graduated ; cheeks 

 feathered. 



III. The Psittacules. Tail very short, and rounded 

 at its termination; cheeks feathered. 



IV. The Parrots proper. Tail equal and squared ; 

 head destitute of movable crest. 



V. The Cockatoos. Tail equal and squared; head 

 with a movable crest. 



VI. Probosciger. Tail equal and squared; naked 

 cheeks, and tuft on head. 



In the cuts which follow, representations are given of 

 some of the more interesting individuals of these differ- 

 ent groups. 



The Great Green Macaw. This species is now ascer- 



tained to be a native of Mexico and Peru, inhabiting the 

 warmer districts of the Andean chain, which attain an 

 elevation of about 3000 feet. According to Wagler, 

 its habits differ considerably from those of its congeners, 

 as it does not confine itself to the recesses of the forests, 

 or its food to the fruits there produced, but attacks in 

 congregated flocks the fields of maize, and other cultiva- 

 ted grain and fruits. Upon these it frequently commits 

 serious depredations, to such an extent, indeed, as to re- 



So generally are these birds known at pre- 

 sent, and so great is their variety, that no- 

 thing seems more extraordinary than that 

 there was but one sort of them known among 



quire the constant attention and watching of the inhabi- 

 tants during the period of maturation. When engaged in 

 their predatory excursions, a guard is constantly left by 

 the flock in some elevated station, generally the summit 

 of a tree, from whence, should danger be apprehended, 

 an alarm is given by a loud and peculiar cry, which is 

 responded to by the immediate flight of the wary depre- 

 dators. They are also said to feed upon the flowers of 

 the Erythinse, and some species of Thibaudse, before the 

 ripening of the grains, but whether this is merely to 

 obtain the nectarious juice, as practised by the Asiatic 

 Lories and Australian Trichoglossi, or for the thick and 

 fleshy substance of the flower and embryo pod or seed- 

 vessel, does not appear from Wagler's account. During 

 the period of the rains, which commence in October, the 

 great body of these birds migrate to other districts, and 

 do not return till the maize begins to ripen, which takes 

 place in January and February. It is easily tamed, and 

 of a docile disposition, but can rarely be taught to articu- 

 late more than a few words. It appears to have been a 

 favourite among the ancient Peruvians, as we are told it 

 was frequently presented to the Incas, by their subjects, 

 as an acceptable gift. In size, it is inferior to several of 

 the Macaws, its extreme length being about twenty- 

 nine inches. The bill is strong, typical in form, its co- 

 lour blackish-brown. The orbits and cheeks are naked, 

 and of a flesh colour, with striae of small blackish-brown 

 feathers ; the irides are composed of two rings, the outer 

 of a rich yellow, the inner grayish-green. The forehead 

 is of a rich crimson, the chin feathers reddish-brown, and 

 passing rapidly into the green of the neck. The rest of 

 the head, the neck, lesser wing-coverts, the mantle, and 

 all the under parts of the body, are of a fine and lively 

 gjreen, in some lights showing tints of azure blue on the 

 back of the neck and head. The lower back and upper 

 tail coverts, as well as the greater wing-coverts and 

 quills, are of a fine blue. The tail feathers on the upper 

 surface are scarlet, with blue tips, the under surface and 

 that of the wings orange-yellow. The legs and toes are 

 red, tinged with gray. The claws are strong, hooked, 

 and black. 



The Alexandrine Ring-Parakeet. This parrot is ge- 



nerally supposed to have been the firat, and by many the 

 only one known to the ancient Greeks, having been dis- 

 covered during the expeditions of the Macedonian con- 

 queror, by whose followers it was brought to Europe from 

 the ancient Taprobane, now the Island of Ceylon. At 

 all events, it is evident, from the concurrent testimony of 

 various ancient authors, that whatever parrots were 

 known, either to the Greeks or Romans, previous 





