266 SCANSORES. PSITTACID^E. 



juiciness and flavour, especially in the pimento 

 season. 



The flight of these birds is swift and rushing; 

 in mid air they have a habit of suddenly deviating 

 from the straight line of their course, making a 

 sharp doubling, and then pursuing the same direc- 

 tion as before. They go in flocks, usually above 

 the trees, and utter harsh screams as they fly. The 

 sexes are precisely alike in plumage. 



BLACK-BILLED PARROT * 

 Psittacus agilis. 



Psittacus agilis, GMEL. Le Vaill. Perr. 105. 



? Psittacus cestivus, var. a. LATH. Syn. 

 ? var. S. Ibid. 



ALL the Parrots are gregarious, cunning, watch- 

 ful, noisy, mischievous ; and thus are like the Mon- 

 keys. This and the following species are so much 

 alike in manners and general appearance, that a 

 description of one applies nearly to the other. 

 Flocks varying from half-a-dozen to twenty or thirty, 

 fly hither and thither over the forest, screeching as 

 they go, and all alight together on some tree co- 

 vered with berries. Here they feast, but with 

 caution ; on a slight alarm one screams, and the 

 whole flock is on the wing, vociferous if not mu- 



* Length 13^ inches, expanse 20, flexure 6^, tail 3, rictus ^ 

 tarsus ~, middle toe 1-^. Irides dark hazel: cere blackish ash-colour. 



