Psittacus collarius, L.

Red-throated Amazon (Ger., Weisskopfige Amazone, Jamaika-Amazone, Jamaika - Amazonenpapagei, weisskopfiger Kurz-fliigelpapagei; Fr., Perroquet Amazone a gorge rouge, Perro-quet Amazone de la Martinique; Dut., Witkop Amazone Papegaai) - Description.

The Red-throated Amazon Parrot has long been familiar to us; it was described by Brisson (1760), and named by Linne; yet it was formerly often confused with, or mistaken for, the White-fronted Amazon, to which, indeed, it bears a strong resemblance.

It is of pure white on] the forehead and lores; the top of the head is bluish-green, inclining to pure blue; the sides of the head, and the upper part of the throat, also, as a rule, the back of the neck, are ruby or wine-coloured; a spot under the eye is pale-blue; about the ear greenish-blue; upper tail coverts yellowish-green; the coverts of the primaries are bluish-green; all the tail feathers, except the two centre ones, are pure green, at the base scarlet; all the upper part of the body is grass-green; at the sides and back of the neck each feather is edged with black; the under part of the body is a paler, lighter green; the thigh, the hinder part of the body, and the lower tail coverts, yellowish-green; the beak a waxy-yellow; the end of the upper mandible is a greyish-white (a pale horn-grey sulphur colour at the base); the cere greyish-white; feet yellowish brown-grey; the claws black. Size, about that of a jackdaw (length, 12 1/2in. to 13in.; wings, 6 3/4in. to 6 7/8in.; tail, 3 5/8in. to 4in.).

The marks which serve to distinguish this species from the preceding are : The whole of the upper part of the body is grass-green, without the broad black tips on the feathers, which, however, appear narrow and faintly marked on the sides and back of the neck; the red spot on the belly is wanting.

It is a native of Jamaica, where it is said to be rather plentiful, to live chiefly on oranges, and in its habits to resemble others of this family. Many fanciers esteem it as teachable; yet it certainly does not surpass the White-fronted Amazon, and scarcely even equals it.