P tA C I .
purplifh cheftnut; all the quills have black lhafts, and are of a
dull red beneath : the two middle tail feathers are pale blue
above ; the next are half red half blue ; and the four outer ones
blue, with a tinge of violet next the lhaft: the tail, both of this
and the foregoing, is much cuneated, the two middle feathers
exceeding the two outer ones by thirteen inches and a half: the
whole tail is of a dull red beneath : the legs are brown, and the
claws black.
Mr. Bancroft fays, that this is fomewhat lefs than the former,
and that it is lefs common in Guiana, to which part it is peculiar »
and adds, that the bill is wholly of a black colour.
BriJJon fays, that it inhabits Jamaica, and Braftl likewife, but
fets it down as a diftindt fpecies; while Linnaeus and Buffon clearly
think it a variety only of the former. As I have oniy ften the
firft, I here remark the difference in the PI. enlum.: in the lad
the eye is merely encircled with an irregular, rounded, bare,
white fkin ; but in the firft, this lkin goes on to the under mandible.
If the fame fpecies, it is probable that this laft may be a
bird not come to its full plumage. In Albin’s figure there is a
white (pace round the eye, but it does not feem bare of feathers*
3-
MILITARY
MACCAW.
Piittacus mili-taris, Lin. Syfl. r. p. 1.39. N° 2..
Largeft Guiana Parrot, Bancroft. Guian. p. 158.
Great green Maccaw, Ed<w. t. 313.
D b s c iu j t io n . •■ 'j^H E bill is black: forehead red: body green: wings and
rump blue : tail red, wedge-lhaped, with the tips of the feathers
blue: the cheeks are naked, and marked with (lender lines,
compofed of black feathers.
7 Where
Where It inhabits is not mentioned; nor does Unnaus quote
»ny author; but it furely can be no other than that of Edwards,
mentioned above; if fo, by the outline, which is expreffed as large
■ as life, it fhould feem to be not far Ihqrt of the fize of the for-
mer ones. He fays, that the irides are yellow: under tail coverts
mixed with red : quills, and part of the row of feathers
above them, fine fky blue; middle of the back, rump, and upper
tail coverts, blue : infide of the wings, and under the tail, g f a
dirty orange-colour : legs dufky flelh-colour. .
Mr. Edwards’s defcription was taken from a living bird at Ph,
Carteret Webb's, Efq:
Mr. Bancroft’s largeft Parrot of Guiana may perhaps prove to
be the fame with the above*. He fays, itds almoft as big as a
Maccaw. It’s bill is long, (lender, and of a flefh-colour: the
body covered with feathers of a beautiful pea-green : thofe at the
top of the head, and upper edge of the wing, red ; tail long,
compofed of green, red, and purple feathers. Thefe, he fays, are
frequent at Demerary, and often fpeak very diftinft. Called by
the natives Acuße.
* Bpjfm will have it to be a variety of his 4ra vert. Hiß. des ei/, vi. p. zot,
V i a PfitUCUfi