96 



ItuFRESNE'S JImAZON. 



Psittacus Dufresnei, Russ. 

 Synonym: Chrysotis Dufresnei, Lvll. G-ekman: Die Granada- Amazone. 



npHIS uncommon bird is even less frequently seen in captivity than 

 -L the species we have just described; there is a fine example in 

 the London Zoological Gardens, but it is very seldom imported by 

 the continental dealers. It is a native of the Brazils, inhabiting 

 pretty nearly the same region as the Festive Parrot, from which it is 

 distinguished by a brownish yellow eye-streak, or bridle, and blue 

 cheeks and chin: the frontlet, as in the latter species, is bright red; 

 the wings and tail green, streaked and tipped with blue, red, and 

 black, and the upper tail coverts a brilliant crimson. 



In size this bird somewhat exceeds the common Amazon Parrot, 

 measuring from fifteen to sixteen inches in extreme length, while that 

 of the ordinary species is about twelve inches; the wings are large 

 and well feathered, and the bird • capable of strong and prolonged 

 flight. 



On the continent it is known as the Granada Amazon, as well as 

 by the name that heads this chapter, which was given it in honour 

 of a French naturalist, by Le Yaillant, his countryman, the well-known 

 traveller. 



Notwithstanding the general family likeness to each other borne by 

 all the Amazons, it is probable that they belong to different species, 

 rather than that they are local varieties of one or two; a point, 

 however, which can only be cleared up satisfactorily when amateurs, or 

 Zoological Societies, try the experiment of cross-breeding with some 

 of them, and then ascertaining whether the young so produced are or 

 are not capable of reproducing their kind. We are ourselves inclined 

 to believe that, in some instances at least, this would be really the 

 case, as happens with several kinds of Pheasants, formerly believed to 

 be distinct species, but now ascertained to be merely geographical 



