^OLDEN-BROWNED <§ONURE, OR 

 !f?ALF-|ffoON JgARRAKEET. 



Psittacus aureus, Auctoeum. 

 Synonyms: Conurus aureus, Ge., Bp., etc.; Conurus canicularis, Bemst.; 



Conurus brasiliensis, Fnsch.; Psittacus regulus, Shw.; 



Psittaca brasiliensis, Bess.; Sittace aurea,WGL.; Aratinga aurea, Spx.; 



Aratinga pertinax, Be., etc., etc. Geeman: Per H'albmond-Sittich. 



HHHIS charming bird is a native of Southern America, and is smaller 

 -*- than the Carolina, which it otherwise resembles, measuring about 

 ten or eleven inches in extreme length. 



Dressed in a mantle of vivid green, its forehead is ornamented by 

 a crescentic patch of a deep orange colour, like the crescent on Diana's 

 virgin brow, behind which the feathers assume a greenish blue shade 

 on the top and back of the head, the cheeks and the neck are greenish 

 gold, and the breast and abdomen a dull greenish yellow. 



The female can scarcely be distinguished from her mate; but the 

 smaller size and fainter colour of the crescentic or half-moon patch 

 that gives the bird one of its English names, as well as its German 

 designation, is thought to indicate the female; but we must admit that 

 the difference is very slightly marked, and the sexes can only be surely 

 recognised by the actions and demeanour of the birds. 



We have no doubt that the Parrakeet described by Bechstein under 

 the name of Psittacus canicularis belonged to the species under con- 

 sideration, although the old German writer called the deep orange 

 yellow of the half-moon markings red, and the greenish blue shade 

 of the top of the head sky-blue, for in other respects the descriptions 

 of Russ and Bechstein agree. 



"It is handsome, but does not speak", says the latter author, "and 



