211 



numbers liave, however, become considerably dir 

 iiiinished, either from this causC;, or from the 

 species being naturally unprolifjc. 



There are three different kinds of the parrot 

 in Chili, one of which is constantly to be found 

 in the country, but the others are birds of pas- 

 sage. The first species, called thecau (psittacns 

 cyanalysios) is a little larger than a common 

 pigeon, and is decorated with a superb blue 

 collar ; the head^ wings, and tail are green spot- 

 ted with yellow ; but the back, throat, and belly 

 are yellow ; the tail is of a middle length and 

 equal. These birds are very numerous, and 

 Tery destructive to the corn ; they fly in large 

 (locks, and whenever they light upon a field to 

 feed, one of their number is stationed upon a tree 

 as a sentinel, who advertises his companions by 

 frequent cries of the approach of danger. This 

 renders them difficult to be approa hed, . . u the 

 only means of obtaining a number of them at a, 

 shot is by throwing a hat in the air, which they 

 fly at with incredible eagerness. They make 

 their nests among the steepest declivities, in 

 which they scoop deep and winding hole, and 

 lay two white eggs of the size of a pigeon's. 

 Although their nests appear to be inaccessible, 

 the peasants take great numbers of their young. 

 In order to do this, they let themselves down by 

 a rope to the mouth of the holes, and draw the 

 young parrots out with a kind Qf hook made for 



