Psittacus haemorrhous, Spx.

Blue-fronted Parralceet (Ger., Blaustirniger Keilschwanzsittich, blaustirniger Sittich, Blaustirnsittich; Fr., Perruche bouton bleu, Perruche a front bleu; Dut., Blauwvoorhoofd Parkiet) - Description - Domestic Character.

Among the parrakeets treated in this book, the Blue-crowned Conure is of surpassing interest; for, after careful observation, it has been described by two eminent fanciers as capable of speech and as otherwise very gifted.

It is of bluish-green, inclining to sky-blue on the forehead and front of the head; the wings dark green; the first quill sky blue on the outer web, the other quills green; all an olive greenish-yellow on the inner web and on the reverse side; the tail green, the two central feathers all one colour, but the others coppery-red on the inner web; all the feathers of the tail on the reverse side pale yellow; all the rest of the upper parts of the body grass-green; the under parts a pale lighter green; the beak dull flesh-colour, inclining to brownish-red (according to Bolau it may be horn colour, with darker tips and under mandible); cere flesh-colour; eyes orange-yellow, inclining to yellowish-brown; the featherless circle round them whitish flesh-colour; feet flesh-colour; claws horn-brown. Size, the same as the Carolina Conure (length, 143/8in.; wings, 6 7/8in. to 8 1/2in.; longest tail feathers, 6 1/2in. to 7 1/4in.; outermost tail feathers, 3 1/2in. to 3 3/4in.).

It is a native of Brazil, from Bahia to the boundaries of Bolivia, and is one of those species which have only been known in later times. The travellers Spix, Natterer, and Burmeister give no information as to its life in freedom.

Although it is rarely imported alive, and is scarcely to be found even in the most important zoological collections, yet Mr. Schmalz, Ministerial secretary, of Vienna, at one time succeeded in obtaining five specimens, of which he tells us : "Even in a few days they became accustomed to my presence, although they were at first very shy, and I was then enabled to convince myself that they were parrots of a high degree of intelligence. One had a festering wound from a bite, which I was obliged to clean and wash out daily with a sponge. The bird at first fluttered as if mad; but by the fourth day it was completely tamed, and soon I did not need to take it in my hand at all; for, when it saw me coming with the sponge, it voluntarily held its head bent forward. When it was quite well it began to fly about the room madly, by which it in no small degree disquieted the other birds; but when I called 'Aral' it stopped at once, and when I showed it the sponge it immediately flew to the place where I had always washed its head, and let me take it quietly in my hand. Now it is thoroughly tame, and allows itself to be laid on its back, etc. Formerly a dreadful screamer, and especially noisy in the morning, it has now been trained, by a few cross words and light taps on the beak, to abstain entirely from its cries. It is, moreover, charmingly affectionate, and has learnt without any particular teaching to say 'Ara! Good Ara!' and 'Cockatoo!' just as plainly as any Grey Parrot. A female (for such it proved later on by laying eggs) of this species became just as tame, and learnt to say exactly the same words, but pronounced them more softly."

Mrs. von Proschek, who also received a specimen of these parrakeets, informs us that it not only became uncommonly tame, but also chattered much and continuously, and imitated the barking of dogs. Mr. Napoleon M. Kheil, of Prague, bought from M.Petzold, a bird dealer of that town, two specimens which proved equally gifted, droll, and affectionate, lively and comical, as any other parrot. Certainly, at times they uttered such harsh resounding cries as to be unbearable - the more brightly the sun shone the more they screamed; but they also learnt to repeat some words. The Vienna bread, which was given dry, was always carried by them to the water vessel and dipped, in order that they might eat it wet. They expressed their pleasure by uttering murmuring sounds.

This species first appeared in the Zoological Gardens in London in the year 1864, when several specimens were shown. Since then it has been seen in other gardens and at exhibitions.