I 



195 NARRATIVEOFAN 



CHAP, the river Seramica, and as the only pafTable road in the 

 IX 



y_ J colony. During this little ride, which (on account of 

 the dry feafon being commenced) we took at fix o'clock 

 in the morning, we obferved a great number of thofe 

 large and elegant birds, known by the name of macaws, 

 but in Surinam called ravens, from their proportion to 

 the parrots, which may be looked upon as a kind of 

 tropical crows. 



The macaws are divided into different fpecies, of which 

 I fhall only defcribe two, wifhing to fay nothing for 

 which I have not competent authority, as I am forry 

 to obferve too many authors have done, among whom 

 are men of genius and learning : fome indeed may have 

 erred from ignorance or wrong information, but num- 

 bers for the gratification of vanity have, I fear, been 

 guilty of impofing on the too credulous public. 



The blue and yellow macaw is as large as a barn-door 

 fowl, with fhort legs and a crooked bill, like that of the 

 common parrot; the former dark coloured, with four 

 black claws, two before and two behind ; the latter alfo 

 black, the, upper mandible alone moveable. Its tail is 

 like a wedge, and confifts of a few very long and ftrait 

 feathers. The back of this bird, from the. head (the 

 top of which is a fea-green) to the extremity of the tail, 

 is a moft beautiful azure blue, and, underneath, its whole 

 body is of a pale orange colour; round its eyes it is per- 

 fectly white, interfperfed with black rings, compofed of 

 ; ^ very fmall feathers. 



The other is called in Surinam the Amazon macaw. 



This 



