. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . The first of these is theGrey Parrot or Jaco {Fsittacus erythaciis. Fig. 167), indigenous tothe west coast of Africa, to which the chief part of the anecdotesrecounted in the preceding pages relate. Next come two species,the plumage of which is green : the most remarkable of these is theAmazonian Parrot {Chrysotis Amazonicus, Fig. 168), and the FestiveGreen Parrot {Chrysotisfestivus). 440 REPTILES AND BIRDS. Cockatoos have tails of medium length, cheeks feath
. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of their various orders, with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . The first of these is theGrey Parrot or Jaco {Fsittacus erythaciis. Fig. 167), indigenous tothe west coast of Africa, to which the chief part of the anecdotesrecounted in the preceding pages relate. Next come two species,the plumage of which is green : the most remarkable of these is theAmazonian Parrot {Chrysotis Amazonicus, Fig. 168), and the FestiveGreen Parrot {Chrysotisfestivus). 440 REPTILES AND BIRDS. Cockatoos have tails of medium length, cheeks feathered, andhead surmoimted by a white, yellow, or pink tuft, which they canraise and lower at will. They are the largest among the race ofParrots of the old continent. They inhabit the Indies and the islesof Oceania, and are pretty, graceful, docile, and caressing, but areindifferent talkers. One very remarkable species of this group isthe Microglossion aterrwiinn, called by Levaillant the Macaw withthe trumpet, from the formation of its tongue, which is cylindricaland terminated by a litde gland slightly hollowed at the Fig. i68.—Green Parrot. When this bird has reduced into fragments by the help of its jawsthe kernels of the fruits which form its nourishment, it seizes thepieces by means of the hollow which terminates the tongue, and,having tried the flavour, projects the trumpet in front, and makes itpass to the palate, which has the function of causing it to fall intothe throat. This curious mechanism was disclosed by Levaillant. The Great White Cockatoo {Cacatua cnsfatus) is a remarkablyhandsome bird, but does not produce more admiration than Lead-beaters Cockatoo {Cacatua Leadheate7i^ Fig. 169). characteristic of the birds which compose the family of TOUCANS. Toucans is their enormous beak. This is much-longer than thehead, is curved at its extremity, dentated at its edges, and possessesa projecting bone at the middle of the upper mandible. It
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles, bookyear1
