Psittacus aestivus, Lth.

Blue-fronted Amazon Parrot (Ger., Gemeine Amazone, blos Amazone oder Amazonenpapagei, blaustimige, gewohnliche, blau-und gelbkopfige Amazone, Rothbugamazone, Rothbugama-zonenpapagei and Kurzfiugelpapagei mit rothem Flugelbug; Fr., Perroquet Amazone a front bleu, Perroquet Amazone a calotte bleu, Perroquet Lord du Bresii; Dut., Genone Amazone Papegaai) - Physical Characteristics - Capacity for Training.

The well-known common Amazon, with red shoulders, has often up to recent times been confused with the Orange-fronted Amazon, because the name of Amazon Parrot was added by Linne to the Latin name of the latter. The former is coloured in the following manner: The band on the forehead blue; top of the head, cheeks, and throat, yellow; shoulders, the central spot on the wings, and the base of the tail feathers, red; all the feathers of the upper parts green, with a distinct dark tip; the lesser and greater coverts of the wings striped with greenish yellow; all the lower body light green; on the breast and belly each feather has a narrow greenish tip, yellowish towards the leg; beak uniformly brownish-black, inclining to black : cere black; eyes varying from yellow to orange-red; the eye cere bluish; the feet bluish-grey; the claws black. The difference between the sexes has not yet been determined with certainty. The plumage of the young birds is duller in colour. Size, about that of a crow (length, from 14 1/4in. to 16 1/4in.; wings, from 8in. to 8 3/4in.; tail, from 4 1/8-in. to 5 1/8-in.). There are numerous varieties in colour, in some of which the blue and yellow on the head extends more or less, or in which one or the other is wanting entirely; the red on the shoulder may be smaller or larger, sometimes yellowish-red, inclining to yellow; indeed, there are Amazons all yellow, but these are certainly rare.

This Amazon is a native of the south of South America, Brazil, and Paraguay, as far as the Amazon river. Although it is the most numerous and common species, yet of its life in freedom but little as yet is known; on the whole, the remarks made in the general description of the Amazons, page 93, apply to this.

They are most highly prized by the natives, because they are said to be the best suited for training. They are, therefore, met with everywhere among the Indians, and of all species are brought in the greatest numbers to market. With us also they are considered by bird fanciers as very valuable. There are examples of astonishingly gifted Amazons, not only in capability for learning to speak, but also in learning to sing songs, or piping in three or four different ways, and being surprisingly teachable. As among all the best speaking species, there are some to be found which will learn little or nothing; but these must by no means be considered as worthless.

The purchase of an Amazon, even more than of any other kind of parrot, is a matter of chance; and I would again call attention to the advice given on pages 12 et seq. Most of the Amazons arrive by the great steamships which ply regularly between Brazil, other parts of South America, and Europe, and may be had in the market from all the wholesale and retail dealers.