AFRICAN GRAY PARROT AND OTHER PARROTS, 180 



quicklv a song with the words, and then seems to enjoy being in a quiet corner 

 where he can rehearse freely and without interruption. At such times "funny 

 blood" seems to course vigorously through his vein of humor, and furnish, uncon- 

 sciously of course, a roaring farce. He also learns to whistle airs. As a learner 

 whose lessons show off to advantage, he will please any possessor. He is about 

 thirteen inches long, has light-green body plumage, except oil the back of neck, 

 where there is a yellow spot the size of a silver dollar. The wings and tail have 

 green and parti-colored blue and red feathers. His food and care are the same as 

 for the Mexican. He is a strong, hearty bird, and lives from fifty to seventy-five 

 years 



THE AMAZON PARROT. 



This bird takes next rank in the list of talkers. He is a native of the upper 

 portions of South America, not quite as large as the Mexican, but equally as beau- 

 tiful in appearance ; his brilliant head-dress of blue and vermilion, and scarlet- 

 tipped wings and party-colored tail, making him a very attractive bird. With the 

 exceptions above noted, he is plain green throughout : the beak, tongue, and feet 

 are black. He is an apt scholar, although sometimes inclined to be noisy, and 

 readily learns to talk and sing. The Amazon is usually trapped, and when confined 

 is fed on the parrot-seed and water. 



THE BRAZILIAN OR BLUE-FRONT PARROT. 



This bird is easily distinguished by his plain green body and sky-blue forehead : 

 he is somewhat smaller than the Amazon, and sometimes makes a good talker. His 

 food is the same as the Amazon's. 



THE MARACAIBO PARROT. 



This is a smaller bird, about the size of the Cuban, and resembles the Mexican 

 greatly in appearance. He appears to be a small edition of the latter, and takes a 

 foremost rank in the list of talkers. His food should be the same as that of the 

 Mexican. 



The Half Yellow-head is commonly confounded, by inexperienced persons, with 

 the Mexican Parrot ; but he is not so large, and may be easily distinguished by the 

 black beak and tongue. He sometimes makes a most excellent talker ; but, as a 

 rule, he does not rank as high as any of the earlier-named birds. 



The Lories are a class of brilliantly colored Parrots, and are mostly caged on 

 account of their gorgeous plumage. They rarely ever learn to talk, although they 

 have the virtue of knowing how to keep quiet. The food, care, and treatment 

 should be the same as that for the Parrot family. 



CUBAN PARROT. 



This Parrot is classed among the tamest and quickest to learn of all the bird- 

 speaking family. Owing to the wide-spread demand for them, this article has been 



