122 How to Sex Cage Birds. 



also shows much less crimson round the eyes than the sexed males. 

 Count Salvadori nevertheless says: "Adult female. — Apparently 

 like the male." It must therefore be concluded that he regards the 

 only sexed female as abnormal in colouring ; yet it would not be 

 extraordinary for the female to approach the young in colouring ; 

 and of the latter he says : " Sinciput blue, with no white ; lores 

 yellow, with some green scattered feathers ; periophthalmic region 

 and cubital edge green, with a few scattered red feathers," etc. 

 Does the Count, perhaps, consider the only sexed female to be a 

 young bird? If so, why does he note it afterwards as adult 1 ? 



It appears to me that in many species of Parrots there seems to be 

 a doubt in the mind of the cataloguer as to whether the birds are 

 adult females or young birds; the female is generally smaller than 

 the male, and more often than not has a broader and shorter beak ; 

 the young bird is, of course, smaller than either parent, and has a 

 much broader beak than if he were adult. I think, nevertheless, by 

 taking the largest sexed birds for comparison, one is likely to get 

 the difference between adult sexes, and whenever possible I have 

 adopted this plan. 



Salle's Amazon (Chrysotis ventralis). 



Only females are sexed in the Museum series. The probable male 

 has a larger beak, slightly wider than in the females, and with very 

 slightly longer terminal hook. 



White-fronted Amazon (Chrysotis leucocephala). 



Only the male is sexed in the Museum. The probable female is 

 smaller, with much smaller and weaker beak; its crown is creamy 

 white without a trace of rose-red. Count Salvadori seems to 

 consider the latter as the typical form of the species, and the rose- 

 flecked form as representing a common variety; but why should not 

 the latter be the ordinary male? I found no sexed males without 

 the rose colouring on the crown. 



Bahamas' Amazon (Chrysotis bahamensis). 



Not represented in the National Collection ; but I saw a beautiful 

 pair in one of my friend Mr J. L. Bonhote's aviaries, and the male 

 appeared to me to have a longer and less arched beak than the 

 female ; but, although invited to do so by the owner, I did not feel 

 tempted to handle the birds in order to ascertain their exact sexual 

 differences. 



Red-throated Amazon (Chrysotis collaria). 



The beak of the male is more slender and has a longer terminal 

 hook than that of the female. The only sexed female shows much 

 less white on the crown than the males. One of the latter is 

 evidently a young bird, if it is correctly sexed, as it is a small. 

 specimen with rather a heavy beak. 



