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PARROTS. 
brown, and the foot grey. The total length of the bird is 111? inches. It is a 
native of Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. The most interesting 
point in connection with this parrot is its habit of building nests in trees, 
whereby it differs from all other members of the order; our illustration repre¬ 
senting one of these nests built by a pair in captivity in one corner of their 
cage. Darwin states that these birds in Parana select tall trees in which to 
build; and that a number of nests are placed so close together as to form one 
great mass of sticks. They always associate in immense flocks, and commit 
SLIGHT-BILLED PARRAQUET (f nat. size). 
great ravages on the corn-crops. On this account they are much persecuted by 
the inhabitants, Darwin relating that as many as two thousand five hundred of 
these birds were killed near Colonia in the course of a year. In some districts the 
nests are constructed in the trees growing in swamps, and attain a huge size; each 
nest generally having several entrances, and being frequented by two or three 
pairs of birds. On this account the name of swamp-parrot is frequently applied 
to the species. From observations made on captive specimens, it appears that 
although the cock aids in building the nest, the work of incubation is performed 
by the hen alone; the usual number of eggs being two. 
