THE CARDINAL PARROT. 
13 
rate, should visit the neighbourhood of Wapping, Batcliffe 
Highway, and other localities affected by sailors. Some of 
these birds are brought over in almost every ship that trades 
to the east, by mariners, as presents for their wives and sweet- 
hearts. While the money lasts, the present is cherished, but 
as soon as it is spent, away goes the parrot for what it will 
fetch. Alm ost every chandler’s shop you pass has in its 
window an announcement of a bird of this sort for sale. No- 
body, however, but a shrewd person should venture on this 
errand, as the orthography of the denizens of Batcliffe is some- 
times faulty. For instance, on one occasion I saw scrawled on 
a piece of paper “ A parehot for sail hash kuler,” and on 
another “A pairakick within chepe.” I much doubt if a casual 
passer would ever have dreamt that the first announcement 
bore any reference to an ash-coloured parrot, or the last to a 
parrakeet. 
In the neighbourhood above mentioned, a strong young bird of 
the green Amazon family may be bought for ten or fifteen shil- 
lings. It is much the same size as the grey parrot. The pre- 
vailing colour of the plumage is brilliant green, while the back, 
and under parts are tinted yellow. The beak is black, and the 
iris of a gold colour. The fore part of the head is inclined to 
blue, and the throat-feathers edged with cerulean green. It is 
a fluent talker. 
There is another common green parrot that may be mistaken 
for the Amazon, and as an error in the selection would certainly 
lead to disappointment and vexation, it may be as well to point 
out the difference. The second green parrot is a native of 
Trinidad. It is nine or ten inches in length, the body is of a 
dark green hue, the pinion-feathers red and blue, and the head 
yellowish red. Of course, it will be at once seen that the 
distinction between the Amazon and the Trinidad is broad; 
still, seeing the birds apart, a mistake might occur, and if it did, 
the purchaser would get not nearly so good a talker for his 
money, nor one nearly so hardy and easy to rear as he bar- 
gained for. 
The Cardinal. — The only variety of this parrot at all 
common in England is one that is about a foot in length of 
which the tail comprises nearly half. The upper part of the 
body of this bird is of a sombre green colour, shading off to 
light green under the belly. The back is peach-coloured, and 
the throat black, and encircled by a still blacker colour. The 
head is violet, blended with blue and red. 
