Macaws. 
127 
few bad in nearly all the species. Twenty years ago I had 
twelve or fourteen including Hyacinthine. Lear's, Military, Blue 
and Yellow. Red and Blue, Red and Yellow, and in small ones 
Spix's and Illiger's. The Hyacinthine spoke a few words ; I could 
do anything with him, but he was dangerous with strangers. 
The Lear's was a fair talker, and a very good imitator of all 
sounds and tame with everybody. The Military would swear 
occasionally and only myself could handle him, and that with 
care. I never heard the Spix's speak; it was very tame. The 
Illiger's (I had two) were both stupid, but, I think, most parrots 
are better with human beings when kept singly. The commoner 
species of Macaws vary as individuals and not as species, except 
in colouration of plumage, size, etc. 
At this time, being very busy, and not having leisure to 
attend to them as I wished, I had box cages made; a frame of 
wood lined with galvanised sheet iron with strong wire fronts, 
size 2 feet 6 inches by 3 feet, and 5 feet high. They did very well 
in these cages, but as I had less and less time to give to them, 
sometimes not being' able to feed them myself I parted with 
them, and kept only Water-fowl, Waders, etc., and have not had 
a Macaw again until last year. 
After nearly two years on munition work, I broke down, 
so having plenty of time on my hands I bought some large 
Macaws. I have now a very large Military, two Blue and Yel- 
lows, two Blue and Reds, and two Red and Yellows. The 
Military I have now, also swears. It may be a habit in the Army. 
I keep them in a wood-house on swings ; a ring runs on the perch 
to which I fasten a chain by a spring-hook. This chain is only 
about three inches long so they cannot get round the side of 
the swing and get fast. When tliey are in the garden, and that 
is all day when the weather is fit, I put a long chain on 
to the ones that fly; the others go about like barn door 
fowls. In the early morning when the dew is on the 
ground, they much enjoy a w^alk and roll on the wet grass. 
They have rustic perches, long enough to hold two or three 
birds, when this is destroyed they get a new one. We also have 
a low stone wall; they spend some time also on this. It keeps 
their claws and beaks in good order. My birds make very little 
noise. If they are fed at regular hours, have plenty of amuse- 
