CONURES. 115 



under-parts are yellow, while the tliroat 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 b}^ the still smaller military macaw {A. onilitaris), 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 (juills of the wings, as well as on the primar}^ 



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 p;enus are denizens of tlie dense forests of 

 Habits. • 1 A • ... 



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 b}^ the protruding tail of the sitting 



bird. Macaws awake from slumber with the flrst 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 themseh'es 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 

 Conures. i p m 



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



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



example {C. carol inensif^) is the sole representative of the distinct genus 



Conuropsis. The conures difler from the true macaws by the lore being 



