There was gallantry, too, that the soul might entrance;
And love shot his bright and his heart-thrilling glance.
The great LORD himself, who was quite at his ease,
Seem'd to say to his VASSALS "now do as you please!"
The signal thus given, many BIRDS of the throng
Sought various diversion the cool shades among.
Some flew in high circles; some leap'd; others sang;
And the BELL-BIRDS repeated their loud and harsh
clang.

To the wood pensive lovers in silence retir'd,

To hear the warm vows long and often desir'd.

The PARROTS (62) were prating, of what who may know?

The MACAWS on the palms made a beautiful show:

(62) ORDER, PICA, (Linn.) PARROT, COCKAToo, Lory, PAROQUET, MACAW, &C.

The genus PSITTACUS, (Linn.) or PARROT, comprehends nearly two hundred and forty species; the distinguishing characteristics of the tribe are a hooked bill, the upper mandible as well as the lower moveable and not connected, and in one piece with the skull, as in most other birds, but is joined to the head by a strong membrane on each side, which lifts and depresses it at pleasure; feet formed for climbing. genus may also be subdivided into those having a long wedge-shaped tail; and those with a short tail equal at the end, including the Cockatoos and Lories, generally, but not altogether.

The

The Parrot is an intratropical bird, and generally found within from twenty-four to twenty-five degrees of latitude on each side of the equator. Yet there are some exceptions to this: it is occasionally seen as far south as the straights of Magellan, in Van

One in robes of rich purple, of azure and gold-
Such, the eye became dazzled its tints to behold;

Diemen's Land, and on the Ohio. Although it lives in temperate climates it does not frequently breed there. It is remarkable too in this race of birds, that those in the new world are totally distinct from those of the old; a proof that the Parrot has not great powers of flight; indeed, it is said, that several islands in the West Indies have their peculiar Parrots, they not being able to fly from one island to another. They are, in their native climates, the most numerous of the feathered tribes.

It will be impossible in this note to do justice to the genus; I must, therefore, content myself with a summary of their most striking characteristics; parrots are, besides, so extremely well known in this country, that a long description of them is rendered for this reason much less necessary; their power of imitating the human voice, and other sounds, is well known; but it may be observed that almost all the sounds which they utter, at least those which they utter in this country, are extremely harsh and discordant; and for a long continuance very disagreeable.

The beauty of their plumage has always and deservedly been much admired. They are, however, so various in size as well as in colours, that it would be endless to recount their numerous gradations.

“The Parrots swung like blossoms on the trees."

MONTGOMERY's Pelican Island.

In its wild state, the parrot feeds on almost every kind of fruit and grain; but, of all food, it is said to be the fondest of carthamus, or bastard saffron, which, though strongly purgative to man, agrees with it very well. It is liable to various diseases; many of them are said to die of epilepsy; it is, nevertheless, very long lived; some have attained the age of sixty years, or more; from twenty to thirty years is their more common period of existence,

The ILLINOIS-PARROT, in bright silky green,

With fine yellow tints, blue reflections was seen;

after which the bill, it is said, becomes so much hooked that they lose the power of taking food.

Parrots build, for the most part, in the hollow of rotten trees; when the tree is not fully rotten, and the hole not large enough for their reception, they widen it with their bills; the nest is lined with feathers. They can only be successfully tamed when taken young. The flesh of parrots, it is said, always partakes of the peculiar taste of their food; some of the small tribes of Paroquets are occasionally sought after by the savages (at the time they feed upon the ripe guava) as delicate food.

An account has lately appeared in the newspapers of a Parrot that died in this country at the age of seventy-seven.

The taste of parrots appears to be more acute than that of most other birds, they being more choice in the selection of parts of the food which is given them, than the generality of birds.

Parrots have, from the splendour of their colours, and from their loquacity, much excited the attention of mankind. A poem entitled Ver-Vert, or the Nunnery Parrot, written in French, by GRESSET, has also numerous admirers; it was translated into easy verse by COOPER, and since by Dr. GEDDES ; the first translation is to be preferred:

"Beauteous he was, and debonnair,

Light, spruce, inconstant, gay, and free,
And unreserved as youngsters are,

Ere age brings on hypocrisy ;

In short a bird from prattling merit,
Worthy a convent to inherit."

Canto I.

The PARADISE-PARROT in splendour was bright; PAROQUETS, POPINJAYS, wore the plumes of delight.

The following summary will complete this notice of the Parrot tribe:

The common names of Parrots are very various, they are known as Cockatoos, Lories, Pároquets, Macaws, Amazons, Criks, Popinjays, Parrots, &c.

The Cristatus, or YELLOW-CRESTED-Cockatoo, is white, with a yellow crest; eighteen inches long; crest five; the gentlest and the most docile of the tribe. Found in all the tropical regions of India. The Cockatoos are the largest Parrots of the old continent. The Aterrimus, BLACK-COCKATOO, or Indian-Crow, is more than three feet long; whole body black. Found chiefly in New Holland. The Erythacus, HOARY. PARROT, or Jaco, of which there are several varieties, is most frequently imported into Europe at present, and, when properly taught, is a good adept at langnage. The body is a beautiful grey; length twenty inches. It is a native of Africa.

The Garrulus, CERAM, or Scarlet-Lory, of which there are many varieties, is a native of the Moluccas; its general colour is red; it is the most spirited and gay of the whole race: the name Lory is given to it from such sounds being frequently repeated by this bird. The Guineensis, or YELLOW-BREASTED-LORY, is found chiefly in New Guinea and the Molucca Islands; ten inches long; from its beautiful plumage, and the ease with which it may be taught to speak, it generally obtains in Europe a great price; a single bird has, it is said, been sold for twenty guineas! The Alexandri, or ALEXANDRINE-PARROT, is green; found in the South of Asia and Ceylon: this bird was well known to the Romans in the time of Pliny.

The Macao, or RED-and-BLUE-MACAW, is one of the most superb of the Parrot tribe: the purple, the gold and the azure, excite no ordinary interest; it is nearly three feet long. Eggs

The GOATSUCKERS' notes, too, were now heard again; And the WOODPECKERS uttered their dissonant strain.

two, which it lays twice a year, about the size of a pigeon's; the male and female share alternately the office of incubation. Found within the tropics in America and the West Indies. The Estivus, AMAZON, or Common-Parrot, is green, slightly spotted with yellow; there are many varieties. The Ochrocephalus, or YELLOW-HEADED-PARROT, belongs to the class called Criks by the French writers; this, and the Amazon, or Common Parrot, are, of all the American Parrots, most easily taught to speak.

The Popinjays are distinguished from all the preceding by having no red on their wings. The Paradisi, or PARADISEPARROT, is a very beautiful species of Popinjay; the whole body is yellow, and all the feathers bordered with a sort of gilding.

The Paroquets are extremely numerous and diversified ; when properly tamed they are good speakers; one of this tribe laid once in England five or six small white eggs. The Aureus, or GOLDEN-PAROQUET, is a beautiful bird.

The Carolinensis, CAROLINA-PARROT, Illinois-Parrot, or Carolina-Parakeet, is said by WILSON to be the only one of this numerous tribe of birds found native within the territory of the United States; it is a very hardy bird; enduring cold much better than the generality of the tribe; it is found, however, chiefly in the states west of the Alleghany mountains. It is said to build in companies in hollow trees. This bird is thirteen inches long, and twenty-one in extent. The general colour of the plumage is a bright, yellowish, silky green, with light blue reflections; lightest and most diluted with yellow below.

The Cookii, or Cook's-COCKATOO, (TEMMINck, Linn. Transact. vol. xiii.) is a fine bird, a native of New Holland, a dried specimen of which is to be seen in the museum