Psittacus virescens, Gml.

The Yellow and White-winged Parrakeet (Ger., Schnalschna-belsittich mit gelber und weisser Flugelbinde, weissjliigeliger Schmalschnabelsittich, Weissschwingensittich, Weissflugel; Fr., Perruche Chiriri, Perruche a ailes blanches; Dut., Chiriri Parkiet) - Description - Habitat.

All these Small-billed Parrakeets are extremely like each other, and the marks by which they may be distinguished are seldom very noticeable. Thus, the Yellow-and-white-winged Parrakeet can only be recognised beside the Canary-winged by observing that a white and a yellow band are visible at the same time in the outspread wings. The former was described by Brisson in 1760 and scientifically named by Gmelin in 1788, therefore it must be reckoned among the earlier known species. Buffon gives an account of its life in freedom, and even says that this little parrakeet learns to speak well.

The Yellow-and-white-winged Parrakeet is dark grass-green; the back has a shade of olive-green over it; the first five quills are green, bluish along the shaft, the inner web edged with black; the last four of the primaries and the secondaries are white as far as the three last, also on the shafts; the greater upper coverts of the wing sulphur-yellow, with white inner webs, the lesser quite white; the bend of the wing yellow; the tail green, the inner webs yellowish; all the under parts of the body a little lighter yellowish-green than the upper; the beak whitish horn-grey; the cere white; the eyes brown; the feet yellowish horn-grey. Size, nearly as large as the preceding (length, 8 7/8 in.; wings, 4 1/2in. to 4 3/4 in.; tail, 3 1/4in.).

Its home extends from Paraguay to the north of Brazil, and it is said to be common along the Amazon River. Wallace saw it in flights of several hundreds on the island of Mexicana at the mouth of the Amazon. The species, however, has only been imported alive since the year 1862, and it is still considered a rare object in our bird markets. The assertion made by Dr. Finsch, that it does not belong to the speaking parrots, has been in one case controverted, for Mr. Hinz, a merchant at Konigsberg, describes a Yellow-and-white-winged Parrakeet which he had taught to say clearly, "Papa!" and "Polly! "