THE AMAZON GREEN PARROT. 



395 



webs of the primary and secondary feathers of the wings, their interior webs being dark 

 greenish-black. The lower part of the back and the upper tail-coverts are deep crimson-red', 

 and the short, square tail is green, except the outermost feathei's, which are edged with blue. 

 On all the tail-feathers, except the central, there is a spot of pale red near the base. The bill 

 is large and flesh-colored. 



The Amazon Green Parrot is the species most commoidy seen. It is a handsome bird, 

 and is even a better conversationalist than the last-mentioned species. Like the Festive Parrot, 

 it is a native of Southern America, and especially frequents the banlis of the Amazon. It is 

 not, however, so retiring in its _^ 



habits as that bird, and wall ,.-.. .. J 



often leave the woods for the 

 sake of preying upon the orange 

 plantations, among which it 

 works great havoc. Its nest is 

 made in the decayed trunks of 

 trees. 



As a general fact, it is not 

 so apt at learning and repeat- 

 ing phrases as the Gray Parrot, 

 but I have knowTi more than 

 one instance where its powers 

 of speech could hardly be 

 exceeded, and very seldom 

 rivalled. One of these birds 

 which used to live in a little 

 garden into which my wndow 

 looked, was, on our first en- 

 trance into the house, the cause 

 of much perplexity to ourselves 

 and the servants. The nursery- 

 maid's name was Sarah, and the 

 unfortunate girl was continu- 

 ally running up and down stairs, 

 fancying herself called by one 

 of the children in distress. The 

 voice of the Parrot was just 

 that of a child, and it would 

 call Sarah in every imaginable 



tone, varying from a mere enunciation of the name, as if in conversation, to angry remon- 

 strances, petulant peevishness, or sudden terror. 



Even after we had been weU accustomed to the bird, we were often startled by the sharp 

 cry of " Sarah ! Sa-rah, Sa . . . rah ! " Presently it would cry, " Sarah, lay the cloth ; " and 

 after a while, "Sarah, why don't you lay the cloth?" always contriving to get the name of 

 that domestic into its sentences. 



The end of the poor bird was rather tragic. It was the property of a very irritable master, 

 from whom the angry cries for Sarah were probably learned. He was very fond of his Parrot, 

 but one day, in playing with her, he teased her so far beyond her patience, that she bit his 

 finger ; whereupon, in a fit of passion, he seized her by the neck and dashed her on the ground 

 so hard, that she died on the spot. 



From the Festive Parrot it may easily be distinguished, not only for its lesser size, it being 

 barely twelve inches in length, but by the different arrangement of the coloring. The whole of 

 the cheeks, chin, and the angles at the base of the bill are yellow, the forehead is deep blue- 

 purple, and the feathers of the back of the head and nape of the neck are green, edged with 



'^^/Jai^jui^, 



AMAZON GREEN PABROT.— Ofirysotis amazonica. 



