8 4



end : I let them both out, and after two or three days they came

back to the garden. I had to be away all day, and when I came

back at evening, only the hen, which was the shyest, was to be

seen. I caught her and never heard any more of the other, but

I have reason to suppose it fell a victim to a stone-throwing boy.

But, like all Amazons, these birds, though not screamers, are

noisy. Still, I conclude by saying that if anyone wants a

talking Parrot, they will not go far wrong if they can buy a

young Golden-nape.


The Double-fronted Amazon, as dealers call Chrysotis

levaillanti, needs no one to sing its praises. It is universally

allowed to be one of the best talkers amongst Parrots. It hardly

needs description : it is about the size of a Pigeon, and is easily

distinguished by its white beak and white feet. Still, there is

another Amazon, Chrysotis ochroptera , which has a white beak

and white feet, and the yellow head of the Double-fronted. But

the two may easily be known apart : first, by the smaller size

of C. ochr'optera ; secondly, by its yellow shoulder-butts ; and

thirdly, by its having its feathers edged with black.


There is almost as great a difference between the plumage

of different specimens of C. levaillanti , as between different

specimens of the common Blue-fronted. Variegated, or “King”

birds, as the dealers call them, are not so common ; but some

have very little yellow on their heads, and some have the whole

head yellow. Those that I have seen of this latter sort were

morose birds and non-talkers. I suspect they were of great age

and had been caught old. I would warn everyone against buying

an old bird if they want a talker; I am persuaded that they never

learn when caught old. But get a young bird and there is nothing

you may not teach it. The best Parrot I ever had, or probably

ever shall have, was a Double-fronted I picked up at Brest. It

sang seven songs, did the French military exercises, said other

things and swore like a sailor, and did it all when I told it.

There was, however, one peculiarity about it, and that was it

never learnt anything fresh. I had it only about a year and then

it died, poor thing ! of cancer on the brain, but it never learnt a

word of English. It was not at all noisy, and admirably good-

tempered. I had to hold it during a painful operation, but it

bore me no malice. But though a bird like that is one in a

million, I would still say—If you want to start a Parrot, and

teach it yourself, write to a dealer and tell him to be on the

look-out for a young one for you, and get it with as yellow a cap

as you can. I cannot too often repeat that sex makes all the

difference in talking in every race of Parrots except the Greys,



