PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 63 



trees of mountain growth, upon the seeds of which it feeds. It is there 

 abundant, yet shy and difficult to approach. Its cry is harsh, resem- 

 bling the call of a Wild Turkey. Morning and evening they call one to 

 another for perhaps an hour ; during the rest of the day they remain 

 silent, except for an occasional cry. When a gun is fired, they all cry 

 out, and then keep perfect silence. They do not seem to associate in 

 flocks at this season, like the Parrot, but are found more often in pairs. 

 They breed in the hollow tops of high trees, and the young are rarely 

 taken. When caught young, they readily learn to talk. The only manner 

 in which one is secured alive is by being wounded. 



" It descends to the valleys in the rainy season to some extent, but 

 prefers the mountains. At that time they are very fat, excellent eating, 

 and much hunted. 



"I made an excursion into their mountain fastnesses, camping on 

 their feeding grounds, but only secured three (though assisted by the 

 Carib hunters), the country was so wild and the birds so shy. 



"Length, 21 in.; alar extent, 35; wing, 11. 



44 Length, 9, 22 in.; alar extent, 36; wing, 12." 



As specimens of the Imperial Parrot are exceedingly rare in collec- 

 tions, and a description of it not readily available, I thought that one 

 taken from the examples before me might prove useful. 



The male has on the front adjoining the bill a narrow line of a dark 

 warm brown color ; the feathers of the crown and occiput are of a rather 

 dull bluish-green, with lighter terminations ; the feathers of the hind 

 neck, and extending around in front, are bronzy-green, with a broad 

 subterminal band of dark bluish-purple, and ending with black ; the 

 feathers of the back, wing-coverts, flanks, and upper tail-coverts are of 

 a bright, rather dark green, conspicuously edged with lighter or verditer- 

 ,green ; these terminal edgings are crossed with waving dark marks like 

 water-lines ; the tail-feathers are reddish-brown, having their bases green 

 for a short space, the two middle feathers show more green ; the edge 

 of the wing is scarlet (not the flexure) ; the primaries have their outer 

 webs bright dark green for two-thirds their length, the terminal third 

 of a brownish-purple ; the first quill is entirely, and the inner webs of 

 the others are of a dark purple ; all but the first primary have their 

 outer webs incised; the secondaries have their outer webs green; on 

 the outer two a speculum of scarlet; the inner webs are dark purple; 

 on the chin and sides of the throat adjoining, the feathers are dark 

 brown, with coppery terminations ; the ear-coverts are brown, ending 

 with light bluish ; the feathers of the lower part of the throat, the breast, 

 aud abdomen are bronzy dark olive, broadly marked subterminally with 

 an opalescent band of violet-purple and light blue, changeable in differ- 

 ent lights, their terminal margins are black ; the upper mandible is dark 

 horn-color, with a whitish mark on its side at the base; the under man- 

 dible is lighter; the feet blackish-brown. 



The female specimen has the colors a little duller, and the speculum 

 Jess bright, but it may be possibly younger. 



