w») l’.\ Koo 1' Hrs. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ORDER PSITTACI. PARROTS, MACAWS, PAROQUETS, 
     
     ETC. 
     
    
   
   
    
     FAMILY PSITTACIDE. PARROTs AND PAROQCETS. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The order Psi/tart" is divided into six families containing,r in all 
     
     about five humlred species. The American species, some one hundred 
     
     and fifty in number, are included in the present family. Only one 
     
     species inhabits the United States, and it is not found south of our 
     
     boundaries. Parrots and l’aroquets—the dividing line between the 
     
     two can not be sharply drawn—are forest-inhabiting. fruit- and seed- 
     
     eating birds. They are poor walkers, good climbers, and strong fliers, 
     
     making extended flights in search of food. Their voices in Nature 
     
     are harsh and discordant: nevertheless, almost all the species possess 
     
     the power of speech. Some. however. rarely learn to talk, while others 
     
     invariably do. The red—tailed, gray Afri tan Parrot (Psiz‘tarus erg/lita- 
     
     cus) takes first rank for ability in this direction, while the Mexican 
     
     Double Yellow-head (.rtmuzona Ieraillanti) is usually accorded second 
     
     place. 
     
    

    
     382. Conurus carolinensis (Ii/uni. Canon“ PAROQI'ET. (See 
     
     Fig. 34.) git/.illead and neck all around yellow; tbrehead and checks deep 
     
     orange: bend oi" the wing and tibiae orange; rest of the plumage bright green; 
     
     the inner vanes ot' the wing—tcathers t‘uscous; the under surface of the tail yel- 
     
     lowish. IMASimil-ar. but the head and neck green like the back; forehead 
     
     and region in front of the eye oranmc: tibia: and bend of the wing without 
     
     orange. L. 12230; “C. 7'40: T.. 15 
     
    

    
     Iétlllf/(G#FUI‘III(‘I'IV eastern ['nitcd States north to Maryland. the Great 
     
     Lakes. and Iowa: west to Colorado. the Indian 'l‘crritory. and eastern Texas; 
     
     now restricted to a few localities in the wilder parts ot‘ Indian Territory and 
     
     Florida. (01) the extermination of the I’aroquct. see Ilasbrouck, Auk7 viii, 
     
     18912 pp. tam—370. with map: and Butler. ibid.. ix. 1892. pp. 49756.) 
     
    

    
     Mat. said to be in a hollow cypress or sycamore tree, but no exact, dc» 
     
     tailed account; of" the niditication of this species has been published. [111/513, 
     
     two. white. 1'44 x 1'12. 
     
    

    
     The complete extermination of the Paroquet throughout the greater 
     
     part of its range is due chiefly to four causes: first. it was destructive 
     
     to fruit orchards. and for this reason was killed by agriculturisls; 
     
     second. it has been trapped and bagged in enormous numbers by pro— 
     
     fessional bird-mttehers; third. it has been killed in myriads for its 
     
     plumage; and. fourth. it has been wantonly slaughtered by so-ealled 
     
     sportsmen. In short. in the present century the I’aroquet has always 
     
     disappeared soon after its haunts were invaded by civilized man. 
     
    

    
     I made three visits to Florida before learning of a locality where 
     
     Paroquets could be found. Finally. in March, 1889, while collecting