76 



THE YELLOW-HEADED AMAZON PARROT. 



Psittacus nobilis, LINNJEUS ; Psittacus ochrocephalus, GMELIN ; Amazone a tfite 

 jaune, BUFFON ; Der gelbkOpfige Amazonenpapagey, BECHSTEIN. 



THE length of this species is fifteen inches, of which the tail 

 measures five ; the beak one inch, the sides of the upper mandi- 

 ble and base of the lower are red, the rest of the beak is raven 

 grey ; the iris golden yellow ; the feet greyish flesh colour, and 

 claws black. The top of the head is golden yellow, the forehead 

 yellowish green ; the colour of the body is green, dark above, 

 and more yellow under ; the tail is but slightly wedge-shaped ; 

 but Linnaeus considered it sufficiently so to class it among the 

 long wedge-shaped tails. 



OBSERVATIONS. This bird is very mild, and sometimes chatters and 

 utters a few dull sounds, but at other times it speaks but little. 



Its native country is South America : it is treated like the preceding. 



THE YELLOW-BREASTED TUCAN. 



Ramphastos Tucanus, LINN.EUS ; Toucan a gorge jaune du Bresil, BUFPON ; Der 

 Tukan oder Pfeffervogel, BECHSTEIN. 



TUCANS are distinguished by the great size of their beak, 

 which is convex above, hooked towards the point, hollow, light, 

 and toothed on the edges like a saw. The feet have two claws 

 before and two behind. In summer these birds are brought 

 from South America to England and Holland, whence they are 

 taken to Germany, though not often. They eat fruit, berries, 

 grapes, bread, meat, and in general any of our food. In order 

 to swallow anything they throw it into the air, catching it in 

 their throats. They are generally reared from the nest, 

 which is placed in the hole of a tree, and only contains two 

 young ones, which in a short time are domesticated, and become 

 very attractive. 



Of the nine inches, which is the whole length of this tucau, 

 the beak alone measures five, and is grey at the base and blac-k 

 at the point. The upper part of the body is of a green black ; 



