THE LIVING WORLD. 
098 
The Hyacinth Parrot, or Arara, is a very large species, resembling the 
macaws. It is found in the deepest forests of South America, but never associating 
in flocks, like others of the species. In¬ 
deed, its numbers are so few that the bird 
is rarely seen, and it is therefore omitted 
from nearly all natural histories. The 
peculiarity of this bird, admirably illus¬ 
trated in the accompanying engraving, is 
found in the bill, which, instead of curv¬ 
ing and pointing downward, as in all 
other members of the parrot family, the 
curve is continued until the point of the 
beak is directly under the throat, making 
nearly a half circle. This shape of the 
bill is convenient, since being largely a 
ground bird, subsisting off worms and in¬ 
sects that burrow, it is the better enabled 
to dig, and also to bite through decayed and 
fallen limbs in search for its food. The 
sides of the face are not bare as in macaws , 
though in other respects it bears a striking 
resemblance, the tail being equally long. 
Around the base of the lower mandible 
runs a sharp¬ 
ly definedcir- 
cle of flesh, 
bare of feath¬ 
ers, which 
forms rath- 
a striking 
feature. hyacinth arara. 
The Ruffle-Necked Cockatoo is 
found in several islands of Oceanica, but 
is not very numerous, nor is it so 
large as the white species. The color is 
a dusky black, with lighter shades on the 
tips of the primary feathers. Instead of 
being provided with a crest of erectile 
feathers, as are all others of the species, 
it has a ruff, which it raises at will, 
but usually keeps depressed except 
when excited or during the mating 
season. This imposing neck ornament 
is only present in the males. Its 
powers of flight are considerable, hence 
ruffled necked cockatoo. most of its time is spent among the 
branches of tall trees, though it is fre¬ 
quently seen upon the ground feeding upon roots and insects. Few species 
have been introduced into European or American aviaries. 
