THE LORIES AND LORIKEETS. 175 



CHAP. LXVL— THE BED LORY. 



Psittacus ruber, Gml. 



Moluccan Lory (Ger., Scharlachr other Lori, hlos rother Lori, Blau- 

 schulteriger Breitschicanzlori ; Fr., Perruche Lori rouge, Lori 

 rouge ; Dut., Roode Loeri') — Description — Talking Capacity. 



The Eed Lory, as it is usually called, was first described by 

 Brisson in 17G0, and was named by Gmelin. S. Muller (1776) 

 describes the pleasure he took in watching these beautiful red 

 birds clambering about the trees while they ate the fruit and 

 screamed incessantly. 



This lory is of a brilliant scarlet ; the first four quills are 

 black on the outer web, the rest increase gradually in redness, 

 the last three or four are dark blue, red at the base, and rose 

 colour underneath ; there are two indistinct black transverse 

 bands across the wing ; the hindermost covert feathers on each 

 side of the back form a large blue spot ; the tail is a dull 

 purplish-brown, duller on the reverse side ; the under coverts of 

 the tail and a large spot behind the thigh brilliant blue ; the 

 beak yellowish-red ; cere blackish-grey ; eyes brown to yellowish- 

 red ; featherless skin blackish ; feet blackish-grey ; claws black. 

 It is a native of the Moluccas, but it is not found on the Aroo 

 Islands. Wallace saw it often in Amboyna, where it is found in 

 large numbers on the blossoming trees, sucking the honey from 

 the flowers. 



Mr. Scheuba gives the following interesting description of the 

 species : '' One Eed Lory is quite unparalleled in speaking 

 talent ; at the same time, it is extremely tame, affectionate, and 

 gentle, kisses, and takes especial pleasure in being brought to 

 me in bed in the morning, here tumbling about with delight and 

 revelling in various antics. Moreover, it is very active, and 

 cannot bear to be long in one place ; thus, it climbs all about my 

 body, then jumps on the table, tears a bit of paper to pieces, or 

 runs down the leg of my trousers to the ground, hops away, and 

 then returns just as quickly to mount again. In the cage it 

 often lies on its back, and, with feet and beak, plays with bits 

 of wood, which it tears to fine shreds. It speaks with a femi- 

 nine voice of high pitch, hurriedly and quickly, often for more 

 than a quarter of an hour at a time ; frequently with a voice 

 which suddenly changes, as if two persons spoke together, but 

 then it sounds as if one heard it from a distance, and only a few 



