THE PARROT. THE ANT. 7l 
gative to man, agrees perfectly with their constitution, and 
fattens them in a very short time. 
Latham enumerates near a hundred and fifty different 
species of this bird. The Maccaw is the largest species, 
some being as large as a capon ; the common parrot holds 
l he middle rank, and the lory and the parakeets are the 
smallest, some of them not exceeding the size of a common 
sparrow. The parrakeet tribe in Brazil are most beautiful 
jn their plumage, and the most talkative birds in nature. 
1 hey are very tame, and appear fond of mankind ; they 
seem pleased with holding parley with him ; and while he 
continues to talk, answer him, and appear resolved to have 
l he last word. The fowler walks into the woods, where they 
keep i n abundance; but as they are green, and exactly the 
colour of the leaves among which they sit, he only hears 
their prattle, without being able to see a single bird; he 
}°oks round him, sensible that his game is within gun-shot 
abundance, but is mortified to the last degree that it is 
’■^possible to see them. Unfortunately for these, however, 
as soon as they have stripped the tree on which they sate of 
its berries, some one of them Hies off to another ; and, if 
'-hat be found fit for the purpose, it gives a loud call, which 
a U the rest resort to. That is the opporlunity the fowler 
’as long been waiting for, he fires in among the flock while 
they are yet on the wing: and he seldom fails ol bringing 
c Wn a part of them. But it is singular enough to see them 
' v hen they find their companions fallen. They set up a 
*°ud outcry, as if they were chiding their destroyer, and do 
1101 cease till they see him preparing for a second charge. 
Of the Cockatoo, or crested parrot, there are several 
s pecies, but they chiefly differ in their plumage. The most 
c °mmon is the white, or rather cream coloured, some how- 
e Ver are black, and some of the white kind have a scarlet 
crest. This species is called the crowned cockatoo. 
-1 he Horned Parrot is a bird of singular beauty and ele- 
S a nce. It is about the size of a small dove, lhe bill is 
bluish at the base, and black at the tip. The sides of the 
’’cad are orange. From the crown spring two slender, dusky 
leathers, about an inch and a half long, and tipped with crim- 
s °n. The hind part of the neck and rump are yellow, the 
rest of the body is green, except the ends of the wings and 
, e tail which are blue. It is an inhabitant of New Cale- 
donia. 
the Ani there are about three species. Their bill re- 
Sf ."'bles in a great measure that of the parrot., lhe great a 
^ m is the size of a jn y 9 the lesser about the size of a black- 
