370 



CUCULIFORMES 



CHAP. 



The two score members of Chrysotis, commonly termed 

 Amazons, range from Central America to Argentina. C. aestiva, 

 not found north of Brazil, has the plumage mainly green with 

 black edgings, the forehead and lores blue, the crown, cheeks, and 

 throat yellow, the primaries black, blue, and green. The second- 

 aries exhibit red outer webs, the lateral tail-feathers red bases and 

 yellowish tips. Entirely yellow varieties rarely occur in the 

 wild state, but are often produced artificially. These birds breed 



FIG. 74. Grey Parrot. Psittacus erithacus. x J. 



in holes in high trees, and fly in small flocks, which utter screaming- 

 cries, and feed on plantains, berries, oranges, and so forth. 



Psittacula contains the green Love -Birds of Central and 

 Tropical South America ; they are sometimes tinged with yellow, 

 and have blue on the rump and wings in the male. 



Myiopsittacus monachus, the Monk or Loro, of Bolivia, Para- 

 guay, Uruguay, and Argentina, is green, with grey throat, breast, 

 and head, except the occiput ; a blue tinge shewing on the wings, 

 and yellow on the lateral rectrices. It is very common and tame 

 near Buenos Aires, being devoted to favourite spots, and playing 

 havoc with garden fruit, which it pecks and leaves hanging, while 

 at times companies feed on thistle-seeds or devastate grain- fields. 



