composed of palm trees; where wander also great numbers of very small parrots, about the size of a lark, adorned with pale green feathers, and called catitas, or kikilk. They are merry, playful, cunning, and may easily be taught to pronounce some words. They are kept in leathern cages. Incredible is the mischief they do to fields sowed with maize. Guards are necessary to keep them off. The Indians know how to change the natural colour of the parrot into any other they choose. They pull the feathers up by the roots, and rub the place from which they have been plucked, till it grows red, and blood flows from it; they then instil and press into the pores or sockets of the old feathers, juice of any colour they like. If the wings or tail be imbued with a yellow, red, or blue colour, yellow, red, or blue feathers will grow there. This was practised amongst the Brazilians, Guaranies, and, according to P. Joseph Labrador, amongst the Mbaya savages. The same Father observed that the Indians performed the operation in the beginning of spring or autumn, that green is very easily turned into yellow, and that yellow feathers, if plucked up, will be succeeded by none but yellow ones. Why might not the experiment be tried upon European birds? A red canary, a yellow nightingale, and a blue lark, would certainly be curious objects. As the beautiful colours of parrots, and their merry garrulity delight the ear and eye, their flesh, in like manner, is extremely pleasing to the palate, but being rather hard, must be beaten a little while, before it will become tender. As parrots are exceedingly suspicious, all times are not equally proper for hunting them. When they assemble on the highest boughs, one of them occupies the top of the tree, that, if any body approaches, he may warn his companions of their danger, and exhort them to flight by sudden clamour. About sun-set they compose themselves to rest like hens. A great crowd generally assemble on one tree, and as each strives to get the highest bough, continual quarrels ensue—one trying to push the other from the seat that he has obtained, whilst, amid horrid clamours, the feathers that they have torn from each other with their beak or claws, fly about in all directions. During these contentions for the highest place, the hunter steals softly thither, and with a gun, or a bow, knocks down the disputing bipeds. If ever you hear the parrots, which you see in the houses of the wealthy, called by other names than those I have mentioned, remember that they must have been brought from other countries, of Asia, Africa, or America. White parrots, with a little red crest, called cockatoos, and others of a grey colour, which I have often seen in Germany, are unknown to Paraguay. The smaller parrots, which we call tuỹ; in the Guarany tongue, have the French name perroquet given them in Europe. INDIAN CROWS.