Psittacus Amazonicus, Russ. Synonyms: Chrysotis oestiva, Swns.; Amazonicus fronts lutei et Psittacus brasiliensis cyanocephalus, Brss.;

Psittacus cestivus, Gml., Lthm.; Psittacus aouron, Shw.; Psittacus Amazonus et Amazona Amazonica, Schlgl.; Psittacus agilis, Ltd., etc. etc.

German: Der Amazonea-Papagei, Russ; Der gemeine Amazonenpapagei, Bechst.

THIS many-named bird is one of those most frequently seen in captivity in this country, as well as on the continent of Europe: so well known that Bechstein, writing towards the close of the last century could say of it: "This species is imported in so great numbers that it is found at every bird-seller's, and is one of the cheapest."

"This bird," he continues, "is common in the hottest parts of America, learns to speak, is very docile, sociable, and requires only common attention."

"It is frequently brought to Europe," wrote Selby, "on account of its colloquial powers, and known, like others of its congeners, by the common appellation of Green Parrot."

A specimen recently in the possession of a friend of ours was known to be at least sixty-seven years old, having been in one family for nearly forty years, and to the last retained a remarkable degree of health and vigour: it succumbed to an acute attack of inflammation after a couple of days' illness, induced by exposure for a few minutes to a draught.

This long-lived bird was presumably a female, for it never learned to speak, beyond repeating, in a low whispering tone of voice, a few short words, such as 'Polly', 'Kiss me', and so on. A post-mortem examination was not permitted, so the question of the poor thing's sex was never determined; bat, as the males of this species are usually very fluent talkers, the probability is that it was a female.

BLUE.-FRONTED AMAZON.

There are many recorded instances of these birds laying eggs in captivity, but none, with which we are acquainted, of their having produced young.

"Of all known animals, there are none so calculated to attract the attention and admiration of man, as those which appear to approximate to his own nature, and to partake of some of the attributes of humanity. This is the case with the apes among the mammalia, and the Parrots in the class of birds. Both exhibit some of the physical peculiarities of man, and both present a very striking analogy with each other.

"The ape, from his external form, so like the human, his gestures and gait, the rude resemblance of his face to that of man, from the analogous arrangement of all his organs with ours, has been regarded as a species of imperfect and wild man. Had he received the gift of speech, like the Parrot, he would have passed for a genuine man in the eyes of the multitude, who judge always rather from external appearances than calm and reflective examination. The Parrot is in the order of birds what the ape is in that of viviparous quadrupeds. It would appear, on first view, to be still more closely connected with us, than the latter, because the communion of speech is more intimate than that of mere sign and gesture. Besides, speech is the expression of thought, while gesture is nothing but the demonstration of physical wants. The latter is altogether corporeal, the former appertains to the mind.

"We must not, however, consider the articulated voice of the Parrot as a proof of the superiority of his intelligence over that of other animals, or of its analogy with our own. It is certainly true, that the Parrots exhibit the most perfect brain to be found among any of the feathered race. The anterior lobes of its hemispheres are more prolonged than they are in rapacious birds, and the encephalon is wider and more flatted than long; but as to the intelligence of the bird, compared with ours, it can only be considered that there is a point of contact between them, as it were, but no resemblance. The Parrot's imitation seems purely mechanical; it articulates words, indeed, but this cannot be deemed a true language. In the same manner as an air is taught to a Linnet with a bird-organ, so a word is taught to a Parrot, which he repeats without knowing wherefore. He does not comprehend its signification, and though he may repeat it on certain occasions, because he has learned it, he sees no reason for doing so like man. He utters, indifferently, a prayer or an insult, and those involuntary substitutions, which really prove his want of intelligence, pass, with unreflecting persons, for a mark of wit, of irony, or of some other quality of mind of which the animal is utterly destitute and incapable of acquiring.

"There are two kinds of imitations: one which is altogether physical, and dependant on similitude of organization; the other, the fruit of reflection, volition and intelligence; the first is possessed by the ape and the Parrot - the second by man alone; one requires nothing but memory, and an aptitude of organic functions - the other demands a profound study, like that of comedians and tragedians. A mere imitation of the exterior, such as a brute can give, is insufficient. The mind and soul must be moulded, as it were, on the model imitated; this requires a certain equiponderance of mental faculties, which cannot exist between man and a brute of any species.

"The imitations of which we have been speaking differ again in an essential point. It is thus: the imitation which the animal can acquire being totally physical, perishes with the individual.

"Many stories have been told, and repeated usque ad nauseam, of the marvellous deeds of these birds supposed to be consequent on their mental faculties; indeed, most persons are in possession of anecdotes, more or less wonderful, of particular individuals, which have fallen under their own observation, or that of their friends - anecdotes, which too often increase by repetition, till the true extent and character of the original facts are lost. Parrots will certainly sometimes repeat a word or a sentence, which circumstances may render particularly apt and applicable, as monkeys will sometimes use a gesture or an action strikingly human in its appearance; but a very slight acquaintance with these animals will convince any reasonable person that these imitative or mechanical qualities are not to be attributed to superior reason or sagacity; and, as much has been already said upon the subject, we shall not subjoin any repetition of thrice-told tales, or search for others of a similar character, which, however amusing, may be considered as destitute of instruction, and of equivocal veracity." - Cuvier, Regne Animal.

Without endorsing the whole of the remarks just quoted, we may observe that we have possessed Parrots, and known others, that seemed to attach a certain significance to certain sounds: thus, an old Cockatoo of ours never called for "Potato!" except when he saw us sit down to dinner; and never said "Oh you're a beauty !" but to a child; and again when he was angry he would exclaim, "Oh you bad Polly!" or "Oh you rascal!" never once making use of the many endearing expressions he was so lavish of at other times, which would tend to show that he had at least some idea of the use of words, some comprehension of the import of what he was saying.

That a Parrot is possessed of wit, or irony, is incredible, but that he does attach a meaning to certain words is, we think, incontestible. It most be remembered that some of these birds are much more intelligent than others, and in this respect the males appear to excel the females, which are usually incapable of learning much. To this rule there are certainly exceptions, but these are few and far between; a good talking bird may safely be set down as a male, and a quiet, silent, meditative one as a female. Speech, however, being "silvern", and silence "golden", it follows that the lady birds have the advantage over their mates in the matter of true intelligence: vivent les dames!

The Hon. And Rev. F. G. Dutton's Account Of The Blue-Fronted Amazon (Chrysotis Aestiva)

This, next to the Grey Parrot, is about the commonest Parrot kept. It never, however, fetches as low a price. One may buy a Grey Parrot for fifteen shillings, but Amazons are generally about twenty-five shillings. It is one of the best to keep, as it learns quickly to talk, and when it becomes a good talker, gives up screaming. I find them a better-tempered Parrot, as a rule, than the Grey. They are more apt at imitating sounds than the Grey Parrot. The Grey does not pick up laughing, crying, and such like sounds as the Amazon does. The Amazon, too, has a special power of giving the idea of a conversation. You hear no word distinctly, but you would certainly say two people were talking together. An Amazon, too, talks much more freely before strangers than a Grey; and certainly one that really talks well is to be preferred to a Grey for that reason. But though I have had Amazons which ceased to scream when they had learnt to talk, they are not sure to give it up, and if a Grey becomes a talker, it almost always does. In that respect the Grey is the better bird to keep. The Amazon is unlike the Grey in this: when people notice it, it will spread its tail and wings, and contract its pupils, like a Bengal Parrakeet; I have never seen a Grey Parrot do anything of the sort. And, like the Bengal, the Amazon sometimes gives you a nip when in this state of excitement.

They are remarkably hardy birds, and can easily be taught to fly about loose, and find their way home. But I do not let my Amazons out, if they are good talkers. Giving them their liberty makes them forget their talking and return to screaming.

This leads me to say that in any attempt to acclimatise Parrots, such as those attempted by Mr. Buxton at Northrepps and in Surrey, we should ask ourselves what end we propose to gain. There seems to be no reason why some of the species should not really be acclimatised, that is become really wild birds. The Cockatoos, I conceive, might. But would it be desirable that they should? Do we want Cockatoos added to our native birds? I imagine the farmers would find them a great nuisance. Of course, if we only want to adorn our own grounds with various exotic species, we have only to choose the sorts we admire most. But there are one or two species which would be a great addition to our native Fauna, and probably annoy no one. It astonishes me that greater efforts have not been made to acclimatise the Budgerigar. There have been times when this lovely bird has been brought over in such quantities, that it has been sold for two shillings and ninepence a pair. Those people- who have aviaries might do something. The difficulty is with the first letting out. A bird let out for the first time has to be followed up. One must not only know where it is, but it must know where its master is. After it has once or twice come back to its cage, the difficulty is over; and this is what makes it so easy to train Cockatoos, Macaws, Amazons, and Grey Parrots to liberty. They are easily seen and heard, and if they have flown too far, are striking to strangers, so that one is quickly put on their track. But Budgerigars are so small, that they are easily lost sight of. Acclimatising them might be done in one of two ways. Either the experiment may be tried with single specimens which are very tame, so tame as to fly on to the hand; or with great numbers which have been accustomed for some time to be fed near the wire of an out-door aviary. One might trust to some of the number coming back to feed, and so bringing the others, till they had learned to find their own food. Of course the experiment will best succeed in a very strictly preserved country, where all the proprietors are friends. The Hawks will be shot, and a word to the gamekeepers will save the Parrakeets from a like fate. Blue Mountain Lories, I think, might also be acclimatised, and with advantage. It would be a great additional beauty to our woods, were so splendid a bird to be seen amongst them. The Platyceri, I am afraid, are too shy and timid to be likely birds for successful experiments; but Amazons and Greys are not at all birds to try. Their whole recommendation is for strictly cage birds, and they can always be bought so cheaply, that there is but little advantage to be gained from their acclimatisation. They are not particularly beautiful, and their natural cries are far from being a sound to be added to those of our woods.

The food of the Amazons consists of bread and water, hemp, canary and millet seed, half-boiled Indian corn, nuts and fruit.

As to their diseases, they are sometimes taken with sickness, and apparent indigestion. I have always found the best remedy for this state of things to be a little carbonate of soda added to their water. A few dried red chilies, now and then, are very good for them. They should always have a piece of wood to gnaw - fir or larch is best, if procurable.