CLASSIFICATION. 3 



rather different. 80 we say they are birds of another 

 genus or style. 



Yet it is perfectly obvious that both of these collec- 

 tions of species have much in common — there is a fctmi- 

 hj resemblance between them, as we say. Hence, the 

 Indian green long-tailed Parrakeets, and the Australian 

 many-coloured broad-tailed Parrakeets, are both said 

 to belong to the family Psittacidfr. 



The classical name is used in order to make our books 

 intelligible to naturalists all over the world, who mav 

 not know our particular language. So, also, we use 

 a special word, compounded from two Greek ones to 

 express the long-tailed green Parrakeets of India — 

 Pakeornis. This means '' the bird of old," these Parrots 

 having been the first know^n to the ancients, wdio called 

 them by the name Psittaciis, w^hich means Parrot. The 

 word Psittaciche means " the family of Psittacus '" — the 

 Parrot clan, so to speak. 



The Australian branch of the clan is also designated 

 by a compound Greek name — Platycercus, meaning 

 " broad-tailed." This name is of course of moflorn 

 invention, though on classical lines. 



In order to designate the species, a specific name, 

 generally Latin, is tacked on to the name of the genus. 

 Thus, the Rose-ringed Parrakeet is called Palrrornis 

 torquatus, torquatus meaning "ringed." The plum-head- 

 ed is called Palceornis cyanocephalus , cyanocepJialus (wliicli 

 happens to be Greek) meaning blue-headed. 



Similarly, the most familiar species of broad-tailed 

 Australian Parrakeet, known in English as the Rosella, 



