CONURES. 115 



under-parts are yellow, while the throat is marked by a broad black gorget. The 

 crown of the head is grass-green ; and the contrast of the light blue of the feathers 

 of the back with the dark blue of the quills of the wings is very pleasing. This 

 species, which is smaller than the last, is also widely distributed in tropical 

 America, ranging from Panama to the Amazon Valley. A third type of coloration 

 is presented by the still smaller military macaw (A. militaris), in which, as in 

 the majority of the species, the prevalent tint is green. The forehead is, however, 

 scarlet, while the lower part of the back, the rump, and the upper tail-coverts are 

 light blue. Blue also appears on the quills of the wings, as well as on the primary 

 and outermost greater wing-coverts ; while in the tail the four middle feathers 

 are brownish red tipped with blue above, and the outer ones largely blue. The 

 length of this species is only 27 inches, and its range extends from Mexico to Peru 

 and Bolivia. 



All the macaws of this genus are denizens of the dense forests of 



tropical America, associating in flocks, and feeding on fruits, seeds, 

 and nuts. Bates compares a flock of the red-and-blue species, feeding on the fruits 

 of a palm-tree, to a cluster of flaunting banners suspended beneath its crown. 

 When on the wing, such flocks make the air resound with their loud harsh 

 screams. In the fruit-season, Waterton describes the palms in the neighbourhood 

 of the Macoushi country as being sometimes absolutely covered with these birds ; 

 and states that any number may be killed with the blowpipe and arrows. They 

 all nest in the hollows of trees, which they enlarge according to their requirements. 

 The eggs, usually two, but occasionally three in number, are about the size of 

 those of a hen, but less pointed. Both males and females take their share in the 

 incubation, and there are usually two broods in the year. Not unfrequently the 

 whereabouts of a macaw's nest is betrayed by the protruding tail of the sitting 

 bird. Macaws awake from slumber with the first streaks of dawn, and at once 

 commence their deafening clamour ; the whole flock generally repairing to some 

 common meeting-place, where they open their wings and warm themselves in the 

 sun's rays. Soon, the flock departs to its feeding-ground, which may be either 

 in the forest or among the cultivated lands. Feeding is continued till about 

 ten o'clock, after which the host repairs to a neighbouring stream to drink 

 and bathe. Towards noon the macaws seek the deepest shade of the forest, where 

 they spend the hottest hours of the day, till the declining sun once again calls 

 them forth. Before settling down to roost for the night, the flock, after the 

 manner of rooks, assembles at the meeting-place usually some large bare tree. 

 Most of the macaws can be readily tamed, and will live in captivity for 

 long periods. They are, however, but poor talkers, and never give up their 

 pernicious habit of screaming. Moreover, although properly -tamed birds seldom 

 attempt to bite adults, many of them cannot safely be trusted where there are 

 children. 



Next to the macaws, the best known representatives of this 



subfamily are the smaller parrots, termed, from the form of the tail, 

 conures, most of which are included in the genus Conurus, although our figured 

 example (C. carolinensis) is the sole representative of the distinct genus 

 ConuTOpsis. The conures differ from the true macaws by the lore being 



