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Mr. J. L. Bonhote,



bird the belly is entirely green occasionally showing a few

isolated red feathers, and the tail is also entirely green showing

red only on the two outer feathers. In addition to this the

Bahama bird is slightly larger and its colours are rather

brighter and more vivid.


Without going too minutely into details it may be stated

that ten species of Chrysotis are still to be found in the West

Indies, and of these four have already been figured in our

Magazine, viz.: C. botiqueti, Vol. VII., p. 109; C. augusta, Vol.

VIII., p. 157 ; C. versicolor , Vol. VIII., p. 275 ; and C. guildingi,

N.S., Vol. II., p. 151.


The remaining species are C. sallcei, from San Domingo;

C. vittata, from Porto Rica ; C. collaria and C. agilis, from

Jamaica; and C. leucocephala , from Cuba.


In Jamaica and Dominica we find two species, but all the

rest of the islands contain but one, and with the exception of

august a and guildmgi they are all forms and varieties, though

well-marked and distinct of the white-fronted Amazon.


The Bahama Amazon seems to have a great disinclination

for flying, and even when in an aviary with full use of its wings

it always prefers climbing. Presumably it is for this reason

that we find these birds differentiated from their allies in

islands but a few miles apart and although once widely spread

throughout the Bahamas it is now restricted to one, or possibly

two of the islands from which it is never known to wander.


To my way of thinking there is only one satisfactory

method of keeping Parrots, and that is to allow them to roam at

will round a West Indian garden. Two that I brought over

spent six months in that manner and were a delight to the eye as

they climbed about among the thick foliage of the Bougainer

Uia or sat preening themselves near the blossoms of the pink

oleander, while I even learnt to appreciate (at a distance) the

matutinal screams with which they welcomed the rising sun. As

soon as they heard the clatter of plates denoting a meal they

would solemnly stalk into the dining room, climb on to the

back of a chair and worry their nearest neighbour until they



