122 THE BED AND BLUE MACAW. 



and soft. Nostrils round, placed in the cere at the base of the 

 bill. Feet scansorial, the external toes longer than the inner. 

 In regard to their internal economy, we may observe, that the 

 bill is furnished with additional and powerful muscles, and that 

 the intestinal canal is of great length, and destitute of coeca.* 



The loquacity of Parrots, and their extraordinary powers of 

 imitation and mimicry, together with the splendour of their 

 plumage, have rendered them at all times favourite domestic 

 birds, and numerous anecdotes are related in proof of their 

 sagacity and vocal ability ; it will, however, be scarcely neces- 

 sary to quote any of these, as they are to be found in works 

 easy of access, and are no doubt familiar to our readers. 



21. THE RED AND BLUE MACAW. 

 Psittacus Macao, LIN. Ara rouge, BUF. Der Rothe Aras, EEC. 



Description. This, like other parrots, is chiefly prized for 

 the beauty of its plumage, and capabilities of speaking ; al- 

 though some species as, for example, the Grey Parrot imitate 

 the song of birds, and have a pleasant whistle of their own. 

 All birds which are able to speak, have a thick rounded tongue, 

 the string of which should be somewhat loosened to increase 

 its freedom of motion. On this account, the Short- tailed Par- 

 rot, as well as Starlings and Blackbirds, which possess a pecu- 

 liar conformation of the larynx, pronounce the most distinctly, 

 and next to them, Ravens, Jackdaws, and Jays. 



The Red and Blue Macaw is one of the largest of the Parrot 

 tribe, being two feet eight inches long, and about the size of an 

 ordinary hen. The beak is so strong as to break a peach stone 

 with ease. The upper mandible, which projects considerably 

 beyond the lower, is white ; the point and the sides at the 

 base, as well as the whole lower mandible, black. The feet 

 are grey, and adapted for climbing. The cheeks are covered 

 only with a whitish, uneven skin ; the iris is light yellow. 

 The head, neck, breast, belly, shanks, upper part of the back, 

 and superior wing coverts, are a beautiful scarlet. The lower 

 part of the back and the rump are light blue ; the feathers on 

 the shoulders and the larger wing coverts are blue, mixed with 

 yellow and green ; the pen feathers are on the outer plume a 

 beautiful light blue, on the inner, greyish black. The tail is 

 wedge shaped, the two centre pen feathers being scarlet tipped 



* Vide Naturalist's Library, vol. v., " Parrots." 



