n8 O^^ClTHOLOqr. BookII. 



called by the Brafilians Arat, as Lerius writes, mull: needs alio be a very handfom one. 

 For he faith, that the prime feathers of the Wings and Tail ( which are a foot and 

 half long) are half Scarlet-coloured, half of an elegant blue 3 the (haft or Nerve 

 which cuts the feather through the middle long-ways diftinguifhing thofe colours 

 [that is, each leather being on one fide the (haft blue, on the other fide red] but 

 that the reft of the feathers of the whole body are altogether blue. He adds, that 

 both thole forts of greater Parrots, viz. Arat and Canide, were in great efteem among 

 the Brafilians, becaufe they pluckt their feathers three or four times a year, to make 

 Clothes, Caps,Bucklers,and Curtains : And though they are not kept tame,yet are they 

 wont more to frequent and abide in great trees in the middle of the Villages than in 

 Woods. Befides, thofe two huge ones, the lame Lerius reports, that there are found 

 three or four forts of Parrots among the Brazilians. The frf, of thofe great and 

 thick-bodied ones, which the Tououpinamboutii t a people of Brafil, call Aicurous, ha- 

 ving its head adorned with feathers particoloured of yellow, red, and violet, the 

 ends of the Wings of a lovely red, and the feathers of the Tail long and yellow 5 

 the reft of the body being wholly green : That this kind is feldom traniported into 

 forein Countries $ and yet there is none that may more eafily and perfectly be taught 

 to fpeak. He adds further, that a certain Braflian woman, living in a Village two 

 miles diftant from the Ifland, in which he with other Frenchmen dwelt, had a Parrot 

 of this kind, which (he made much of 5 which feemed to be endued with that under- 

 ftanding and reafon, that it could difcern and comprehend whatever (he faid who 

 brought it up. For, faith he, walking forth fometimes to refrefh our felves as far as 

 that Village, when we palled by that womans houfe, fhe was wont to call upon us in 

 thel'e words, Will you give me a Comb, or a Looking-glaf, and I "will prefentlj make my 

 Parrot fing and dance before you ? If we agreed to her requeft, asfbon as fhe had pro- 

 nounced fome words to the Bird, it began not only to leap upon the Perch on which 

 it ftood, but alfo to talk and whiftle, and imitate the fhoutings and exclamations of 

 the Brafilians, when they prepare themfelves for the battel. In brief when it came 

 into its Dames mind to bid it fing, it fang, to bid it leap, it leapt : But if taking it ill, 

 that fhe had not obtained what fhe asked, fhe faid to the bird Auge, that is, be ftill or 

 filent: It ftood ftill, and held its peace} neither could we by any means provoke it 

 to move either foot or tongue* The fecond kind is called by the Brafilians Mar- 

 ganas, and is like thofe Parrots that are wont to be brought into Europe 5 of no great 

 account among them, by reafon of their multitude or abundance, they being not left 

 frequent there, than Pigeons with us. The third fort of Parrots, called by them 

 Tovis, are not greater than a Starling, and have their whole body covered with fea- 

 thers of a deep green : But the feathers of the Tail ( which are very long ) have a 

 mixture of yellow. He added further, that he had obferved, that the Parrots of 

 that Country did not build Nefts hanging down on the boughs or twigs of trees, as 

 fbme by their Topographical Tables would perfuade us 5 but in the hollows of trees, 

 of an orbicular figure, fufficiently hard and firm. Then Clufius tells us that he law 

 Parrots brought from Femambuco of the Brafilians, not exceeding the bignefs of a 

 Stare, covered with feathers wholly of a green colour, but all having a fhort Tail,and 

 white Bill: and they who brought them over reported,that this kind was very noxious 

 to fruit : That they fed them by the way with grains ofMrfzz,,that isjndian Wheat. In 

 the fecond Voyage the Hollanders \mc\e into the Eaji Indies,m 'Java and certain neigh- 

 bouring Iflands,they obferved Parrots far more elegant than thofe they were wont to 

 bring out ofBrafl, and they underftood that they were called Noyrasby the Portugues 

 thatJ requented Java and the Moluccas : That they were not very big-bodied,but of fo 

 elegant a colour, that they thought more beautiful could not be painted by the hand 

 of Man. For the Breaft and Belly were covered with feathers of a florid, fhining red 

 colour } the Back with golden-coloured Plumes $ the Wings adorned with feathers 

 particoloured of green and blue : Underneath the Wings the feathers were of a 

 lovely fhining red. But that the price of thofe birds there was very great 5 fo that 

 they were not rated at lefs than eight or ten German Dollars. Linfcotius writes, that 

 the Portugues had often made trial to bring over of them to Lisbon, but could never 

 efTe& it, becaufe they were too tender and delicate. But the Hollanders with a great 

 deal of care and induftry brought one alive as far as Amfierdam, which though it were 

 not of thechoiceft, yet might have been fold for one hundred and feventy Florens 

 or Gilders of that Province, that isfomewhat more than feventy Dollars, as I find re^ 

 corded in the Diary of that Voyage. That bird by the way had learned to pronounce 

 many Holland words, which it had heard of the Mariners, and its Mafter had made it 



