PSITTACUS, in ornithology, a genus belonging to the order of picæ. The beak is hooked, the superior mandible being furnished with a moveable wax; the nostrils are placed at the base of the beak; the tongue is fleshy, blunt, and entire; and the feet are fitted for climbing. There are 45 species, distinguished by their colour and the length of their tails. This genus includes the parrot kind, which are all natives of warm climates.
The parrot is a well-known bird, of which there are several very beautiful kinds. Its head is large, and beak and skull extremely hard and strong. It might seem a wonder why nature has destined to this, which is not naturally a bird of prey, but feeds on fruits and vegetable substances, the crooked beak allotted to the hawk and other carnivorous birds: but the reason seems to be, that the parrot being a heavy bird, and its legs not very fit for service, it climbs up and down trees by the help of this sharp and hooked bill, with which it lays hold of any thing and secures itself before it stirs a foot; and besides this, it helps itself forward very much, by pulling its body on with this hold.
Of all animals, the parrot and crocodile are the only ones which move the upper jaw; all creatures else moving the lower only. As some particular animals beside are fond of particular foods, so the parrot loves nothing so much as the seeds of the carthamus, or bastard-saffron; and eats them without any hurt, though they are a purge when given to other creatures.
The parrots are common both in the East and West Indies: they are a brisk and lively bird in the warmer countries; but with us lose much of their vigour. They lay two or three eggs in the hollow of a tree.
In all the known parrots the nostrils are round, and placed very high upon the beak, and very near one another.
Parrots are divided into three kinds: 1. The larger, which are as big as a moderate fowl, called macaws and cockatoos; these have very long tails. 2. The middle-sized ones, commonly called parrots, which have short tails, and are a little larger than a pigeon. And, 3. The small ones, which are called paroquets, and have long tails, and are not larger than a lark or blackbird.