ORDER SCANSORES. 48l 



The Parrots (PiJixTACus, L.) 



Have the bill thick, hard, solid, round in all parts, 

 surrounded at the base with a membrane in which the 

 nostrils are pierced ; the tongue is thick, fleshy, and 

 round, circumstances which give them the greatest 

 facility in imitating the human voice. Their lower 

 larynx is complicated, and furnished on each side 

 with three muscles, contributing further to this faci- 

 lity. Their vigorous jaws are put in motion by mus- 

 cles, which are stronger than in other birds. They 

 have very long intestines, but are without a caecum. 

 Their food consists of fruit of all sorts. They climb 

 branches by means of their bill and feet ; build in 

 holes in trees ; have a voice naturally hard and noisy ; 

 and are, almost all, of very bright colours : hence 

 they are only found in the Torrid Zone. But they 

 exist in both continents, though the species proper 

 to each are different ; even every great island has its 

 own species, as the short wings of these birds do not 

 allow them to traverse much space of sea. The 

 parrots are very numerous, and are subdivided by 

 the shape of the tail, and other characters. 



Among those with a long wedged tail we may first 

 distinguish 



The Aras, Maccaw (Ara, Kuhl.), 



Whose cheeks are denuded of feathers. They are 

 American species ; for the most })art, very large, and 



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