THE RED AND BLUE MACCAW. 55 



duction of parrots into parlours. Some imitate the songs of 

 other birds and warble very sweetly. We have observed, that 

 in order to speak distinctly the tongue must be thick, rounded, 

 and the muscle loose enough to permit the requisite motion ; 

 hence it happens that parrots, above all those with a short 

 tail, pronounce so very distinctly. The ravens, jackdaws, and 

 jays come next to them ; but the starlings and blackbirds 

 surpass them in the formation of the larynx. 



The red and blue uiaccaw is one of the largest of the parrot 

 tribe, being two feet eight inches in length. The hardest 

 stones of the peach cannot resist the strength of its beak, the 

 upper mandible of which is very much hooked. The claws 

 are directed forward, and two backward. The naked cheeks 

 are covered with a wrinkled whitish skin. The head, neck, 

 breast, belly, thighs, top of the back, and the upper wing- 

 coverts are of the finest vermilion. The lower part of the 

 back and the rump are light blue. The scapulars and large 

 wing-coverts are a mixture of blue, yellow, and green. 



The colours sometimes vary, especially in the wings and 

 tail, but the species will not be the less easily known on that 

 account. 



The female very much resembles the male. 



HABITATION. When wild it inhabits South America, and may be found 

 in Brazil and Guiana, in damp woods, and always in pairs. In the house 

 it may be let range at will, giving it a roost with several rings placed across. 

 Like its fellows, it may be kept in a very large strong wire cage, high and 

 wide enough to let it move with ease, and preserve its handsome tail in all 

 its beauty. 



FOOD. In its native country the fruit of the palm tree is its principal 

 food ; our fruit it also likes, but white bread soaked in milk agrees with it 

 better ; biscuit does not hurt it ; but meat, sweetmeats, and other niceties 

 are very injurious ; and though at first it does not appear to be injured, it 

 becomes unhealthy, its feathers stand up separate, it pecks and tears them, 

 above all those on the first joint of the pinion, and it even makes holes in 

 different parts of its body. It drinks little this is perhaps occasioned by 

 its eating nothing dry. Many bird-fanciers say that the best food for 

 parrots is simply the crumbs of white bread, well baked, without salt, soaked 

 in water, and then slightly squeezed in the hand. But though this appears 

 to agree with them pretty well, it is however certain that now and then 

 something else ought to be added. I have observed, indeed, that parrots 

 which are thus fed are very thin, have hardly strength to bear moulting, and 

 sometimes even do not moult at all ; in that case they become asthmatic, 

 and die of consumption. It is clear that feeding them onlv on this food, 



