^ 136 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



is a delicate greenish-blue on the head and neck, shad- 

 ing into deep purple as it nears the tail. The under- 

 parts are a brilliant chrome yellow, in striking con- 

 trast to the rest of the plumage. See Plate 8, Fig. 

 34. 



Very little is known about the habits of the Macaws 

 in the wild state, but they are said to possess great 

 powers of flight, rising high in the air and travelling 

 long distances in search of food, which consists of vari- 

 ous kinds of fruits. The sexes are alike in colouring. 

 In some species the skin below the eyes is bare and 

 wrinkled. 



The Red and Blue is dazzling in the brightness of 

 its scarlet and blue feathers, which, however, are not 

 pleasing in texture, being thin and harsh to the touch. 

 These birds are easily tamed and are commonly seen 

 in captivity. See Plate 8, Fig. 35. 



The Hyacinthine Macaw is a rich deep blue over 

 the entire body, the naked skin around the eye is a 

 brilliant yellow and the tail is black. In all these 

 birds the feathers are quite loosely set in the skin. 

 The Macaws, like many others of the Parrot tribe, 

 make their nests in tree-holes, which they adapt by 

 means of their powerful beaks to suit their require- 

 ments. 



The Amazon Parrots are a South American family 

 not foimd north of Brazil. They are quite small and 

 are coloured in tones of brilliant green and yellow. 

 Many species are known, but all have the same gen- 

 eral colour disposed in varying proportions over the 

 body. The species figured is the Blue-fronted Ama- 

 zon. These birds fly in small flocks and feed on or- 



