98 



& 



>lue j Eronted Mmazon. 



Psittacus Amazonicus, Euss. 



Synonyms: Chrysotis cestiva, Swns.; Amazonicus fronte lutei et 



Psittacus hrasiliensis cyanocejphalus, Bess.; 



Psittacus cestivus, Gml., Lthm.; Psittacus aouron, Shw.; Psittacus 



Amazonus et Amazona Amazonica, Schlgl.; Psittacus agilis, Ltd., etc. etc. 



German: Per Amazonea-Papagei, Euss; Per gemeine 



Amazonenpapagei, Bechst. 



rpHIS many-named bird is one of those most frequently seen in 

 -L captivity in this country, as well as on the continent of Europe: 

 so well known that Bechstein, writing towards the close of the last 

 century could say of it: "This species is imported in so great numbers 

 that it is found at every bird-seller's, and is one of the cheapest." 



"This bird/' he continues, "is common in the hottest parts of 

 America, learns to speak, is very docile, sociable, and requires only 

 common attention." 



"It is frequently brought to Europe," wrote Selby, "on account of 

 its colloquial powers, and known, like others of its congeners, by the 

 common appellation of Green Parrot." 



A specimen recently in the possession of a friend of ours was known 

 to be at least sixty-seven years old, having been in one family for 

 nearly forty years, and to the last retained a remarkable degree of 

 health and vigour: it succumbed to an acute attack of inflammation 

 after a couple of days' illness, induced by exposure for a few minutes 

 to a draught. 



This long-lived bird was presumably a female, for it never learned 

 to speak, beyond repeating, in a low whispering tone of voice, a few 

 short words, such as Tolly', 'Kiss me', and so on. A post-mortem 

 examination was not permitted, so the question of the poor thing's 



