BED-VENTED PABBOT. 
109 
The Red-vented Parrot is not very commonly seen in this country, 
and consequently commands a high price, which is, in our opinion at 
least, quite out of proportion to its merits, for, although undeniably 
handsome, and as a rule very tame, it makes, at best, a very poor 
talker, but different specimens vary a great deal in intelligence and 
capacity for acquiring human speech. 
The Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton' s account of the Red-vented 
Parrot (Pionus menstruus). 
Why this bird should be called the Red-vented Parrot, zoologists 
only know! It is true it has a red vent, but that is quite the least 
noticeable point about it. The distinguishing part of its plumage is 
its violet head and neck, and it is much more aptly named by the 
French, Le Perroquet a camail bleu. 
It is much smaller than the Amazon, but about the same size as 
the White-fronted Amazon. The beak is horn colour, with a red spot 
on each side of the upper mandible. The head, neck, and part of the 
breast are bluish violet, and the feathers on the belly are tipped with 
blue. The bird is green on the back, but the wings are a yellow 
green. The vent, as the name implies, is tinged with red. The tail 
is green, with red at the root of the inner web of the first three 
feathers. 
Bechstein says the bird comes from Guiana, does not talk, and is 
very tame and gentle. These remarks I can endorse. All the Pionuses 
I have seen have been very tame and gentle. Mine took a strong 
dislike to one man, but the rest of the world could do what they pleased 
with it. It was very quiet, never screamed, but never learnt anything. 
It was a stupid bird. It never made any distinction except in the 
one case I have mentioned. It had no more affection for the person 
who fed it than it had for any one else. When it flew, it settled on 
the ground and remained where it lit. It had no idea of coming 
home again. It was lost owing to this. It flew away, and we did 
not see where it lit. We could not find it, and it probably fell a 
prey to a fox. It never washed. Its food is the same as for an 
Amazon. 
