Doubtless these Parrots were originally stray colonists from the tropics, although now resident in so cold a country as Patagonia. When viewed closely, one would also imagine that they must at one time have been brilliant-plumaged birds; but either natural selection, or the direct effect of a bleak climate, has given a sombre shade to their colours--green, blue, yellow, and crimson; and when seen flying at a distance, or in cloudy weather, they look as dark as crows. 277. CONURUS ACUTICAUDATUS (Vieill.). (SHARP-TAILED PARROT.) +Conurus acuticaudatus+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 111; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 621 (Catamarca). +Conurus fugax+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 441. +Conurus glaucifrons+ _Leybold, Leopoldina_, Heft viii. p. 52 (1873). _Description._--Above and beneath green; top of head and cheeks bluish; inner margins of wing-feathers yellowish grey; inner webs of tail-feathers at their bases red; upper mandible pale whitish, lower black: whole length 13·0 inches, wing 7·5, tail 7·0. _Female_ similar. _Hab._ Bolivia, Paraguay, and N. Argentina. White obtained specimens of this Parrot near Andalgala in Catamarca in September 1880. He tells us that it is not very abundant in that district, and flies very swiftly in flocks of seven or eight, screeching continually when on the wing. 278. CONURUS MITRATUS, Tsch. (RED-HEADED PARROT.) +Conurus mitratus+, _Tsch. Faun. Per., Av._ p. 272, t. xxvi. f. 2; _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 112. +Conurus hilaris+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 442 (Tucuman); _id. Wiegm. Arch._ 1879, pt. i. p. 100; _id. P. Z. S._ 1878, p. 75. _Description._--Bright green; front and sides of head red: beneath rather paler; under wing-coverts green; lower surface of tail yellowish; in some specimens with irregular patches of red on the neck and breast; bill pale; feet brown: whole length 14·0 inches, wing 8·0, tail 7·0. _Hab._ Peru, Bolivia, and Northern Argentina. Dr. Burmeister met with this Parrot near Tucuman, where he found it "very common, especially in winter." At first he made a new species of it, but afterwards recognized its identity with _Conurus mitratus_ of Tschudi. Dr. Burmeister has kindly sent two specimens of this bird to Sclater, for his collection. Sclater has also examples of the same species procured by Schulz near Cordova, and in Bolivia by Bridges. 279. CONURUS MOLINÆ, Mass. et Souanc. (MOLINA'S PARROT.) [Plate XIV.] [Illustration: CONURUS MOLINÆ.] +Conurus molinæ+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 112; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 621 (Salta). _Description._--Above green; crown brown; nape bluish; cheeks green; wings edged with blue; tail coppery red: beneath green, breast and sides of neck whity brown, with dark cross bars; middle of belly dull red: whole length 9·5 inches, wing 5·0, tail 5·3. _Female_ similar. _Hab._ Bolivia, S. Brazil, and N. Argentina.