The very long-tailed parrots called macaws, and parrakeets, are birds of Central and Southern America. In India there are also very long-tailed parrots. In old times they were sent as presents to kings and queens. The parrakeets of Asia and Africa are called ring parrakeets, because each one has a collar of bright feathers about the neck. The two parrots called “the gray,” and “the festive,” or “jolly” parrot, are the most common as pets, are most amusing, and learn many words and tricks. What are called “love birds” are very small and beautiful parrots, from North Africa. They are as small as bluebirds. They are the smallest of their race, and rather rare. The cockatoos are kept in cages, not for their speech, as they do not learn to talk, but for their great beauty. You will know them by their high crests. They have their name from their note, or call. They are natives of tropic islands. Most of them have light-colored feathers, pink, lemon or white, with markings of brighter tints. If you live where you can visit a large bird-store, you will do well to go to see some of these birds. Let us now turn to that other house bird, and common pet, the canary. This little bird has its name from some islands on the coast of Africa, which are its native home. It is about three hundred years since these birds began to be reared and sold for cage birds. Canaries are very small birds, of a delicate yellow color, graceful shape, bright and lively ways, and sweet song. In their native woods they have not the clear yellow color which they now wear. They are of an olive green with spots of black and yellow. The yellow color has become common to the cage birds. Canaries are intelligent, affectionate little birds. They can be taught to whistle tunes, if you train them with care and patience. If given plenty of water, clean cages, plenty of light, and good fresh seed, they will be healthy and live a long time. You should give them a lump of sugar for a treat, some chick-weed for fresh food, a bit of cuttle-fish bone to sharpen their beak upon. You must also be careful to keep them out of a draught. These birds of hot lands, reared in cages, would die if we let them fly out of the cage. So, if we treat them well, it does not seem cruel to keep them in their little wire palaces. For my part, I prefer to see birds flying, feeding, and singing in the woods and fields, which are their natural home. LESSON XXXIX. THE LOST BIRDS. Hidden in the earth, in peat swamps, or in rocks, we find the bones of birds of various kinds that lived long ago, and are now lost. Some of these lost birds were on the earth before men and beasts were. Others have been well known until a recent time. I shall tell you of a few that have lived until lately. First I shall mention the great auk. This was a large handsome bird, which lived along the shores and islands of northern seas. As auks were good to eat, large numbers of them were killed.