Correspondence 95



(4) They—the parents—refused all insects in the shape of mealworms

and gentles.


(5) The families were reared entirely on canary, white millet (dry and

soaked), pannicum, millet sprays (soaked), and seeding grasses—principally

Tall Fescue and Poa Trivialis.


In conclusion, it appears that when two pairs belonging to the same

species behave so differently as those belonging to Mr. Highman and myself,

we have at least one of the reasons why the “ golden rules ” laid down by

one successful breeder are totally unsuccessful with someone else. We

must treat our birds as individuals—studying their likes and dislikes—and

not as species.


S. D. Potter.



AN ABNORMAL AMAZON PARROT



Recently I procured from a sailor an Amazon Parrot coloured differently

from any of the Amazon Parrots I have yet possessed or seen described.

After searching through all available books, I concluded that the bird was

a rarity, as no work contained a description which could be applied to the

bird. Further investigation has established that only a few birds of the

species this bird is now reputed to be have been imported within the last

century, and none exist with the coloration this bird has.


I consulted the Marquess of Tavistock, who informed me that the colora¬

tion did not answer the description of any known species, but the Marquess,

with his usual enthusiasm, took the matter up with Mr. H. Whitley, who

suggested that the bird was a hen Lesson’s ( Amazona lilacina ) in a lutinistic-

condition, a suggestion to which the Marquess agreed.


As there is no doubt both the Marquess and Mr. Whitley are the greatest

authorities in Europe on Parrots, I sent the bird to the latter, who confirmed

the classification which he arrived at from my written description. He

mentioned that Mr. Allan Silver had written an article on the variety some

years ago (Avicultural Magazine, Vol. XI, No. 2, February, 1920), and

Mr. Silver has verified the classification, with different coloration from the

specimen of a lilacina he had previously seen.


The following abbreviated description of Lesson’s Amazon ( Amazona

lilacina) from “ Parrots and Parrot-like Birds ”, by the Marquess of Tavistock,

side by side with a short description of the bird under review, will illustrate in

what particulars this lutinistic specimen differs from the normal bird.



Lord Tavistock's Description.


General colour: Green, paler on

breast.


Cheeks : Yellowish green.


Forehead, and area between eyes and

beak, red.


Crown : Lilac.


Neck feathers : Tipped with blackish

colour faintly tinged with lilac.


Wing bars : Pinkish red secondaries

showing blue and green.



The Lutinistic Bird.


General colour : Green intermingled

with heavy yellow feathers.


Cheeks: Yellow fading into green.


Forehead, and area between eyes and

beak : Brick red.


Crown : Bright brick red.


Neck feathers : Tipped with blackish

colour, but no suggestion of lilac.


Wing bars : Bright red.



It will be noted that the lilac in the ordinary bird has been replaced in the



