108 YELLOW-NAPED AMAZON. 



after having kissed it, and gone out, it commences to whimper and cry- 

 like a child. When I return and go to see it, it flies immediately on 

 my shoulder, and exclaims, f Stay here' (bleib' da). It laughs, cries, 

 and sings when I ask it to do so, and will lie on its back in my lap 

 and play like a kitten. It will not bite, lets me do what 1 like with 

 it, and is never in the least vicious. In the evening, when all the 

 other Parrots have gone to their cages, it is the last up, sits on my 

 arm, covered with a handkerchief, and regularly goes to sleep. After 

 it has been warmed and kissed, it retires voluntarily into its cage. 

 When it is sleeping on my arm, and I say, 'Now, dear Lori, sing', 

 it commences in a little soft voice, f wie im Bauer/ It will go to 

 ladies without any difficulty; and I have no fear that the strangers 

 will be bitten, but gentlemen it cannot abide. This ever-charming 

 little creature, after having been in my possession for three years, was 

 returned to its former master, Herr Schottler, in Bremerhaven. The 

 poor bird was at death's door, it fretted so greatly, and had a severe 

 bite at the root of the beak inflicted by a large Macaw, or a monkey. 

 I wrote to Herr Schottler, begging him to let me have the bird to 

 nurse until it was well: he was obliging enough to consent. Then 

 began a cruel time, but I nursed it; and the bird becoming in the 

 interval as dear to me as a child to its mother, recovered at length; 

 when I bought it, and now my pet is prettier, stronger, and healthier 

 than ever. It has struck up a warm friendship with a Vinaceous 

 Amazon, and when the cook is called in the morning, f Rosa, bring 

 the coffee {Rosi, bring'' an Kafe), it cries out to the Amazon, 'Tauberl, 

 bring the coffee' (Tauberl, bring' an Kafe)." 



The London Zoological Society first acquired this species in 1844, 

 when a specimen was purchased. Another was presented to the Gardens 

 in 1866, and a third in 1879. 



The cost of a newly-imported Yellow-naped Amazon is about forty 

 or fifty shillings; an educated specimen that spoke well, would of course 

 command a very much higher price. Dr. Russ quotes the value of a 

 talking bird of this species at from £6 to £7 10s. 



This Amazon was first fully described in 1842 by Lesson. It is a 

 native of Central America,, and is frequently kept by the inhabitants 

 of Costa Rica, where it is a great favourite with both rich and poor, 

 according to Dr. A. von Frantzius, who had opportunities of observing 

 it in its wild state as well as in captivity; and who gives it an excellent 

 character for gentleness and capacity for learning. 



The Yellow-naped Amazons differ from each other very considerably 

 in appearance, although the description we have given above is that 

 more generally applicable to them; but some specimens have blue, and 



