180 THE SPEAKING PARROTS. 



CHAP. LXIX.— THE BLUE MOUNTAIN LORY. 



Psittacus Swainsoni, Jard. et Sib. 



Blue Mountain Parrot, Swainsons Lorikeet, Blue-hellied Lori- 

 Iceet (Ger., Lorivon den hlauen Bergen, Gehirgslori, Blauhcluchi- 

 ger Keilschwanzlori fdlsclilich hlaiier Gehirgslori, PJlaumen- 

 kopfsittich (/); Fr., Perruclie Lori de Swainson, Perruche a 

 houche d'or; Dut., SwainfO?i's Loeri) — Importation — Descrip- 

 tion — Hardiness — Breeding — Treatment — Talking Powers. 

 The Blue Mountain Lory affords a striking example of the im- 

 portance to which the love of birds, and the pursuit and results 

 of their breeding, may attain, not only as a matter of science, 

 but also of practical business. As already mentioned elsewhere, 

 the whole account of the importation and breeding of this 

 bird is very interesting. First described and drawn by Buffon 

 in 1783, and named by Gmelin, it was at that early date kept 

 in captivity, and was imported into Europe alive by Joseph 

 Banks in 1771. It is probable that since that time it has 

 been brought over occasionally. A couple were sent to the 

 Zoological Gardens in London in 1868 ; but the regular im- 

 portation only dates from the year 1870, when it was com- 

 menced by the wholesale dealer, Charles Jamrach, of London. 



The Blue Mountain Lory is of a purplish-blue on the head 

 and throat ; the back of the head has a faint brownish tinge ; a 

 broad yellowish-green band appears on the back of the neck ; 

 all the upper part of the body is of a dark grass green ; the 

 upper part of the back is more or less dappled with red and 

 yellow (each feather having a red or yellow transverse spot) ; 

 the quills are green on the outer web, and black on the inner ; 

 blackish grey on the reverse side, with a broad light yellow 

 transverse band ; the shoulders and under coverts of the wing 

 vermilion ; the bend of the wing green ; the edge of the wing 

 marked as if covered with red and yellow scales ; the tail 

 feathers green, yellow on the inner web ; on the reverse side a 

 dull brownish yellow, the inner webs light yellow ; the breast 

 and neck vermilion ; the sides of the breast yellow ; the belly 

 dark blue ; the thighs, the hinder part of the body, and the 

 under coverts of the tail, red, dappled with yellow and green ; 

 the beak is a brilliant red ; the skin on the nose bluish, in- 

 clining to dark brown ; the eyes orange, inclining to amethystine 

 red ; a red brown circle round the eye ; the feet brownish-grey ; 



