CHAPTER XX 

 THE ORDER OF PARROTS AND MACAWS 



PSITTACI 



The parrots, parrakeets, macaws and cocka- 

 toos form a large group, containing in all more 

 than 500 species. Of these, about 150 inhabit 

 the New World, but only one species is found 

 in the United States. South America contains 

 the greatest number of species; Africa and Asia 

 are but poorly supplied, and Europe has none. 

 The widest departures from the standard types 

 are found in New Zealand and Australia. 



Drawn by Edmund J. Sawyer. 



CAROLINA PAREAKEET. 



Although these birds are by nature thoroughly 

 tropical, some of them range far into the tem- 

 perate zones. This Order contains a larger pro- 

 portion of beautifully colored birds than any 

 other. Among the parrots, parrakeets, ma- 

 caws and lories, there is a lavish display of brill- 

 iant scarlet, crimson, blue, green, yellow and 

 purple, while all save a few of the cockatoos are 

 snowy white. 



The members of this Order are specially dis- 

 tinguished by their bills and feet. Of the for- 

 mer, the lower mandible is a short but power- 

 ful gouge, while the upper mandible is a big hook, 

 with a thick and heavy base, and a long, sharp 

 point. 



The foot of a bird of this Order is evenly di- 

 vided, with the second and third toes pointing 

 forward, and the first and fourth pointing back. 

 The tails of most parrots are rather short, and 

 square at the end, and the legs are very short. 

 With but one or two exceptions, all the 500 spe- 

 cies of this Order feed upon fruit, seeds and 

 flowers. 



The Parrots are celebrated by reason of the 

 natural inclination of some species to mimicry, 

 and their ability to learn to talk. They are 

 naturally sedate and observant, possess ex- 

 cellent memories, and are fond of the companion- 

 ship of man. The broad, fleshy tongue of a 

 parrot renders possible the articulation of many 

 vocal sounds, and when a certain phrase is end- 

 lessly repeated to a parrot that is secluded from 

 other sounds, the bird is sometimes moved to 

 rememlser and repeat them. The African Gray 

 Parrot is the most celebrated talker, and its 

 value is from $15 upward. Next in rank comes 

 the Mexican Double Yellow-Head, although the 

 Carthagena Parrot, being a good talker and a 

 more hardy l)ird, is rapidly becoming more popu- 

 lar. Of both these species, the price in the New 

 York bird-stores is from «10 to $12. 



The parrot of the most remarkable habits 

 is the Kea, of New Zealand, a bird with very 

 large and strong feet, which not only loves fresh 

 mutton, but sometimes kills sheep on its own 

 account, for food purposes. 



The Parrakeets are really small, trim-built 

 parrots, with long, sharp-pointed tails. Ex- 

 cepting the Thick-Billed Parrot, which has been 

 seen in southern Arizona, this Family contains 

 the only member of the Order Psittaci which 



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