Avifauna of Neiv Caledonia. 525 



tarse 8'" ; female, total length 10" 6'", wing 4" 3'", tail 6" 3"', 

 tarse 6'". 



The bill, over most of the surface, is plumbeous, the tip 

 black ; legs and feet grey-brown ; iris pale orange. Native 

 name in Bourail dialect '' Buopug " ; in other districts " Noiu- 

 gome " and " Tea-kiou-kiou/' 



[It is interesting to compare this bird with C. novae zea~ 

 landice, with which it is very closely allied, differing only in 

 its large size and in the light greenish yellow of its whole 

 undersurface. — H. B. T. Examples of both species are now 

 living in the Zoological Society's Gardens. — Edd.] 



46. Trichoglossus massen^, Bp. 



Trichoglossus deplanchei, Verr. & Des Murs. 



This little harlequin-coloured Parrot is the commonest of 

 all our species of this family. It abounds in forest- clad dis- 

 tricts, feeding on fruits and flowers ; and if the collector can 

 but find a favourite tree, he may kill dozens without any 

 trouble. Just now (October) a few Erythrina trees remain 

 in flower in the moist ground or river-bottom lately flooded 

 by the Moindou river. On these congregate flocks of this gor- 

 geous little Parrot, feeding, fighting, love-making, and playing. 

 The valley resounds with their shrill piercing shrieks ; and 

 their crimson breasts glistening in the sun rival the scarlet 

 glories of the blossoms which they ruthlessly cut from the 

 branches and let fall, half devoured, to the ground. Here 

 comes one direct to our open window, his gi^een back and 

 crimson breast alternately flashing in the declining sun of the 

 afternoon. He darts in and settles on our head, then drop- 

 ping onto our shoulder whistles in our ear " Ah ! joli coccote ! " 

 It is the pet of our kind host's daughters. They have reared 

 him from his nest in a hollow tree ; and his wings have never 

 known the scissors. We take him in our hand, and he play- 

 fully bites aud scratches us. He wants a romp ; so we lay 

 him, back down, on the table and " towsell " him ; he rolls 

 over and over in every conceivable attitude, shrieking and 

 chattering ; and if he catches our finger he whispers " Ah ! joli 

 coccote ! " We give him a pencil ; he seizes it in both claws 

 and turns over on his back, tossing the pencil about in the 



