Psittacus Dufresnei (Lvll.), KM.

Dufresnes Amazon (Ger., Granada - Amazone, Goldmasken) Amazone (!), Dufresnes Kurzflugelpapaagei; Fr., Perroquet Amazone de Dufresne; Dut., Dufresnes Amazone Papegaai-- Description.

Yellow lores, blue cheeks, and red on the front of the head, are the distinguishing marks of this species. It is grass-green on the back of the head and neck, each feather having a narrow black tip; the front of the head is scarlet; the lores deep-yellow; the cheeks and upper part of the throat sky-blue; on the back each green feather has a darkish edge; the central spot on the wings vermilion; the first three secondaries have the outer web red; the edge and coverts of the wings are green; the five outermost tail feathers have a large blood-red spot; all the lower part of the body is a lighter green, without the dark border to the feathers; the beak is pale coral-red; the cere reddish-white; eyes orange red; eye cere white; the feet are a yellowish-grey; claws horn-grey. (Sometimes the whole front of the head is scarlet; the lores, the base of the beak, and the upper part of the throat may be yellow; the cheeks and the throat may also be blue.) Size, about that of a crow (length, 14 1/4in.; wings, 7in. to 7|in.; tail, 4in. to 4 1/8in.). It is a native of Central and Northern Brazil as far as Guiana and New Granada.

Schomburgk, Prince Max von Wied, Natterer, and others, have written of this species, and, according to them, the particulars of its mode of life are in no respect different from those of the others. A Dufresne's Amazon appeared in the collection of the Emperor, in Schonbrunn, as early as the year 1830; and it has been brought into our markets now and then in later times : nevertheless, it continues to be one of the rarest species.

Travellers differ in their opinion as to its talents, for, whereas the Prince asserts that it is teachable and soon learns to speak, Schomburgk denies this. Mr. Petermann says that it is highly esteemed in Brazil on account of its eminent talent for speaking, and there fetches a high price.