120 GENUS PS1TTACUS. 



in the hollows of decayed trees, and most of the 

 species are supposed to lay only two white eggs, 

 which are incuhated alternately by both sexes. In 

 disposition, they are the most docile of the family, 

 and possess the power of imitating the human voice 

 in as great, or perhaps greater perfection, than any 

 of the other divisions. 



The first illustration belongs to the genus Psitta- 

 cus, as restricted by Wagler, the characters of which 

 are, Bill strong-, proportionate, the upper mandible 

 with the culmen slightly narrowed, the tip, with its 

 under surface, rough with elevated ridges, strongly 

 toothed or emarginate, under mandible slightly com- 

 pressed, with the cutting edges sinuated. Tongue 

 thick, fleshy, smooth. Cere broad. Nostrils large, 

 orbicular, placed in the cere near the base of the bill. 

 Tail rather short, even at the end. Feet, the tarsi 

 short, strong, and depressed, the two exterior toes 

 long, and nearly equal. Plumage compact, the fea- 

 thers of the neck broad, truncate, and imbricated. 

 With the exception of the Grey Parrot, Psitt. ery- 

 thacus, Linn., which, although provisionally re- 

 tained in Wagler's genus, it is likely will eventually 

 be separated from it, on account of its geographical 

 distribution, the nudity of its face, and some other 

 minor characters, the rest of the species belong to 

 the tropical regions of America. The ground or 

 prevailing colour is green, varied in different birds, 

 with red, blue, and yellow. They are of a docile 

 disposition, and of great imitative powers, on which 



