Psittacus vittatus, Bdd.

Red-fronted Amazon (Ger., Rothstirnige Portoriko-Amazone, blos Portoriko - Amazone, rothstirniger Kurzflugelpapagei; Fr., Perroquet Amazone a front rouge, Perroquet de St. Dominge; Dut., Roodvoorhoofd Amazone Papegaai) - Description.

This species also was taken to be the female of another kind. It was described by Boddaert in the year 1783, but until of late nothing was known of it. It has a scarlet band on the forehead; all the upper part of the body is of a dark grass-green, each feather having a broad black tip; the coverts of the primaries and bend of the wing dull blue; the edge of the wing mostly green; the outer feathers of the tail have a red spot at the base; spot on the throat red; all the lower part of the body light-green, on the front of the neck and breast each feather edged with black; belly and lower coverts of the tail yellow-green; beak horn-grey; upper half of beak greyish-yellow at the base; cere white; eyes brown or reddish-yellow; eye cere whitish; feet of a brownish flesh-colour; claws brown. Variations : Sometimes the face and upper part of the throat are red; the edge of wings bright yellow; the red spot on the throat is sometimes wanting. Special indications : The red band on the forehead, the blue covert feathers, and the blue bend of the wing; no red spot in the wings. Size about that of a jackdaw (length, 13iin.; wings, 6 1/2in. to 7in.; tail, 3 1/2in. to 4 1/8in.). The traveller Moritz observed them at Porto Rico, and, according to his account, they do not differ in any way from the habits of all their larger congeners. They are said to lay waste the maize fields, frequenting them in flocks. When taken from the nest, and brought up by women, they are said to learn to imitate every possible tone of men or animals. They may be reckoned among the most common birds in the trade, yet they are highly esteemed by some amateurs. On the whole, however, as regards their talents, the remarks concerning the lesser species hold good.