430 Caxaries and Cage-Birds. 



pure white. This Cockatoo becomes very tame and affectionate, is quite hardy, but not as 

 good a talker as the two following, although a much better linguist than all the preceding 

 species. 



THE ROSE-CRESTED COCKATOO {Cacalua Molucceiisis). Moluccas. 



Piiilcuus Mohucatsis (Russ), Cacatua rubri cristata, Cacatua rosacea, Cacaiua erytrotaphtis, Plictolophiis Molucceiisis. 



English dealers' name — Rose-crested Cockatoo. German name — " Rothhaubiger Kakadu. " 



THE GREATER WHITE-CRESTED COCKATOO [Cacaiua cristata), Moluccas. 

 Psittacus leucolophiis (Russ), Cacatua leucolophus, Cacatua alba cristata, Cacatua cristatdia, Psittaca alba cristata, PUctolophus 

 hucolophus. English dealers' name — White-crested Cockatoo. German name — " Weissgehiiubter Kakadu," "Weiss- 

 hauben Kakadu." 



The Rose-crested and White-crested Cockatoos are very large birds, and almost too big 

 to be kept in an amateur's cage. Their crests are not pointed, the feathers being rounded 

 at the ends. As the names denote, the crests differ in colour. These two .species are very 

 clever talkers, but also very loud screamers when untamed. 



THE MACAWS, 



I may dismiss with a very few words. I tried a Red-and-yellow Macaw {^Ara chloroptera) and 

 a Blue-and-yellow Macaw {Ara ararannci). A couple of expensive cages were demolished 

 very quickly, and before a pair of stands could be finished by the maker. The destruction 

 of the hard wood perches and mahogany uprights of their new stands afforded about two 

 days' amusement to the birds, who next peeled off the wall-paper within reach, and gnawed 

 the corner of a billiard-table. This mischief was accompanied by such deafening screams that 

 a couple of weeks' possession had quite settled my determination to get rid of the magnificent 

 Macaws on any terms, and never to buy one again at any price. Their huge size, brilliant 

 feathers, and loud screams are a very good advertisement for a travelling menagerie, to whom 

 amateurs had better abandon these birds, unless some one would care to construct a wrought- 

 iron in-door aviary (I doubt whether bricks and mortar would be proof against their beaks) 

 to make an attempt at breeding. A pair of Blue-and-yellow Macaws exhibited some years 

 since at the Crystal Palace were said to have laid eggs in confinement ; and as Macaws 

 always arrive in Europe quite tame, it ought to be possible to breed them. 



Of the American Conures, three kinds will interest the amateur : — 



THE CAROLINA CONURE [Conurus Carolineiisis), North America. 

 Psittacus Carolinensis (Russ), Psittacus luteocapillus, Psittacus ludovicianus, Araiinga luloviciana et Carolineiisis, Conurus 

 ludovicianus. English dealers' name — Carolina Parrakeet. German name — " Karolina Sittich." 



The Carolina Conure is the only Parrot to be found in North America, and lives in higher 

 latitudes than any other kind of Parrot. During a hard winter the Carolina Conure may 

 frequently be seen in the snow, whilst jn summer he is the unwelcome guest of farmers in 

 Arkansas, Missouri, and Maryland, doing much damage to fields of Indian corn. Those Carolina 

 Parrakeets which arrive in Europe are almost without exception wild birds caught when fully 

 grown, and are stupidly shy in a cage, screaming terribly at the approach of a human being. 

 When left to themselves they will quickly demolish all but the strongest cages. On the other 

 hand, they will breed freely when placed in a room by themselves ; and Dr. Russ reared several 

 broods in his aviary. As these birds are used to very great heat and severe cold in their 

 native country, they may safely be exposed to the vicissitudes of the English climate in an 



