EUPSITTACI: CARINATE PARROTS. 615 



CID^ are a large family, of wide distribution in the Old World, without complete furculum, 

 and in some other respects related to the Stringopes, especially through such genera as Pezo- 

 porus, Geopsittacus, and Melopsittacus. The family includes terrestrial genera, as does no other 

 of this suborder; the orbits are incomplete, the tongue is ordinary, and the bill has the usual 

 rasp-like palatal surface ; the tail is long, as a rule. Other genera than the three named are 

 Neophetna, Cyanorliamphus, Psej^hotus, Barnardius, Porphyrocephalus, and Platycercus (for 

 Nymphicus and Nanodes see below). 2. The Pal^eornithid.e are likewise a large, widely-dis- 

 tributed family, sharing the incomplete; orbits of the preceding family, but having the furculum 

 complete ; bill with the rasp and tongue simple ; two carotids ; an oil-gland ; no ambiens. 

 Unquestionable genera of this family, besides Palceornis, are Eclectiis, Geoffroyus, Tanygna- 

 thus, Prioniturus, Polytelis, Ptistes, Pyrrhulopsis, Aprosmictus, and Loriculus. 'S. Agapor- 

 NiTHiDiE? The Ethiopian genus Agapornis lacks a completed furculum (in this respect 

 agreeing with the genus Psittacula, of the Neogtean series), and appears to represent a tenable 

 family type. With this genus appear to be related a number of Palseogasan pygmy Parrots, 

 such as Psitfinus, PsittnceUa, Cyclopsittacus, Bolhopsittacus, whicli have a fnrculum, and even 

 JMicropsitta (or Nasitoiui). But at present neither the families Micropsittidtc nor Cyclopsit- 

 tucidce can be satisfactorily diagnosticated. Among these equivocal genera it seems possible 

 that three families may be implicated. Bolbopsittacus approaches the next family in the longi- 

 tudinal instead of transverse striation of the palatal surface of the hook of the bill ; the bill is 

 unnotched ; in Cyclopsittacus and Psittinus the hook is notched ; in Micropsitta the tail is 

 mucronate. 4. Nestorid^e. The isolated New Zealand genus Nestor is the only living rep- 

 resentative of this family, in which there are an ambiens, an oil-gland, two carotids witli the 

 left superficial, a furculum, and incomplete orbital ring. The bill is notably elongate, without 

 transverse strife under the hook ; in which latter respect, as well as in the fringed tongue, this 

 family apjiroaches the next. 5. Lorud.e or Trichoglossid^e. In the Lories or Brush- 

 tongued Parrots, highly characteristic of Australia, Papua, and Polynesia, but absent from 

 New Zealand, the tongue has the peculiarity indicated by the name, the papillae being highly 

 developed and reversible when the tongue is protruded ; the bill has tio transverse rugie, and 

 is short and stout, with simple culmen; the ambiens is lost (always?); the furculum is com- 

 plete ; there are two carotids, and a tufted oil-gland. Among the undoubted genera of this 

 family (which does not include the genus Loricidus, however), there is much variation in ex- 

 ternal form, and probably several subfamilies are implicated ; I only name the OreopsittacincE, 

 with one Papuan genus and species, unique in the whole order in having 14 rectrices. Tlie 

 equivocal Australian genus Nanodes (or Lathamus) may belong here, ratlier than in Platy- 

 cercidce, as it is brush-tongued, with a furculum, orbital ring, no ambiens, etc. 6. Caca- 

 TUID.^;. This Austro-Malayan and Papuan family is well-marked by the bony temporal bar, 

 in addition to the completed bony orbits; there is no ambiens, and great variability in the 

 carotids and oil-gland; carotid single and sinistral as a rule. The bill is transv<'rsely rugose 

 under the hook, and the tongue is simple; the head is conspicuously crested. There are sev- 

 eral subfamilies. The Cacatuincc have feathered cheeks and short tails ; in M icroglossince the 

 clicelis are naked and the tail is short; in CalopsittacincE the tail is pointed with narrow feath- 

 ers. The curious genus Nymjjhiciis seems to be more nearly related to the Cockatoos than to 

 any others, and may represent a fourtli subfamily, NymphicincE. 7. PsiTTACin.*:, in a re- 

 stricted sense, are definable by exclusion of the particular combinations of characters of other 

 Palteog.'ean families. There are two carotids, tlie left superficial ; a complete furculum ; incom- 

 plete orbits; the ambiens equivocal. The tail is short; the cheeks are more or less denudeii, 

 as a rule ; there is no crest, and tlie sexes are alike. The bill has the usual rasp, as in all 

 groups except the Lories, Nestors, and allies. This family is diaracteristically Ethiopian, with 

 ail outlying PapHan representative, and may include tliree subfamilies: I'sitidcitKr, type J'sil- 

 lacHS eritliacns, the common gray red-tailed Jako of Africa, and subtype Coraco2)sis, the black 



