Psittacus ochrocephalus, Gml.

Yellow-fronted Amazon (Ger., Surinam-Amazone und Surinam-papagei, Gelbscheiteliger Kurzflugelpapagei und Gelbscheitel-Amazone; Fr., Perroquet Amazone a front jaune, Perroquet de Cayenne; Dut., GeelvoorhoofdPapegaai, Geelvleek Papegaai) - Physical Characteristics - Varieties - Habitat - Rank as Talker.

All parrots included under the common name of Amazon show in colouring and special marks such noticeable characters, that even a superficial observer could not be confused in determining the various species. Nevertheless, from olden times even to our own days, we find scientific observers as well as amateurs constantly confusing the birds of this genus, especially the Surinam, with other ones. The reader is, therefore, particularly requested to notice carefully the marks given in the following description :

The Yellow-fronted Amazon is of a deep yellow from the forehead to the middle of the head, more or less over the back of the head, with a broad green stripe above the eye; lores, sides of the head, and throat, yellowish-green; back of the head, cheeks, and neck, dark-green, each feather edged with a fine black line; the whole of the upper part of the body is a dark grass-green, without the darker edges to the feathers; edge of the wings red; the speckles on the wings, and the beard of the quills of the outermost tail feathers, vary from reddish-yellow to scarlet; all the lower parts of the body are of a lighter green than the upper; reddish-yellow about the legs; beak blackish-brown inclining to black; on each side of the base of the upper beak there is a pinkish-white spot; lower beak dark horn-grey; the cere is blackish, thickly set with little black hairs; eyes orange-red, with a thin yellow, and then a broad brown rim round the pupils; eye cere bluish-white; feet bluish-white; claws almost pure white.

There appear the following varieties of this species: The yellow on the head may be narrower or broader, and sometimes-extends over the whole front of the head, even over the eyes and the under beak; sometimes it does not appear, or is confined to a few feathers on the middle of the head and on the bridle; the yellow feathers are often edged here and there with red; the edge of the forehead is green; the red mark in the wing may be smaller or greater; the beak may be lighter or darker brown, with a fallow-red spot; the iris with an inner ring of brown and an outer one of red; eye cere grey.

The plumage of the female and of the young is not yet known with certainty. The young birds which come into the market have but little yellow about them, and the red marks are duller. Size, about that of a raven (length, 14 1/2in. to 16in; wings, from Sin. to 9in.; tail, from 4 1/4in. to 5 1/4in.).

It is a native of the north of South America. We are told by travellers that they are exceedingly numerous and common in Surinam, Guiana, and Venezuela. It is pursued on account of its flesh and feathers, but most commonly stolen from the nests. The Indians, who consider them amongst the most teachable parrots, are said to rear and train them with special care. Surinam Amazons may often be seen flying half-wild about the huts of the Indians, with cut wings, but they always return home in the evening. This species is with us one of the most common in the trade, as they are imported in rather larger numbers than the Double-fronted Amazon. They are esteemed as good speakers, as some of them develope in the most notable manner, not merely speaking well and clearly, but learning to laugh, weep, and sing prettily. Others, however, are found to be backward, but this is not often the case, most of them being good medium birds.