246 PSITTACIDiE. 



Genus PAL^ORNIS, Vigors, 1825. 



Tail very long and graduated, the median feathers narrow, much 

 exceeding the others in length : bill thick, deeper than long ; upper 

 mandible swollen at the sides, culmen convex, much curved ; lower 

 mandible short. 



Birds of this genus are common throughout India, Ceylon, and 

 Burma. Their prevailing colour is green, except in a few species. 

 They are usually seen in flocks, which feed sometimes on the 

 fruit of trees, sometimes on seeds, which they not unfrequently 

 pick up from the ground. All have a rather swift arrowy flight, 

 and a more or less harsh screaming note. All are favourite cage- 

 birds. Species of Palceornis are found throughout the Oriental 

 region, in the Seychelles, Mauritius, and Rodriguez, and in parts 

 of Tropical Africa. 



Key to tlie Species*. 



a. Head (except chin and mandibular stripe 



in males) and body green ; bill deep red ; a 

 rose collar in males, wanting in females. 

 a'. Large red patch on wing-coverts ; wing 

 exceeding 7*o. 

 a" , Smaller : length 17-19*5 ; tarsus 



greenish grey P. eupatria, p. 247. 



h". Larger: length 20-22; tarsus dull 

 orange. 

 a\ Nape and sides of head suffused 



with glaucous grey P. nepalensis, p. 248. 



b^. Nape and sides of head without 



grey tinge. [p. 248. 



a*. Bill 0'85 high at base P. iridohurmanicus, 



b*. Bill an inch high at base P. magnirostris, p. 249. 



b'. No red patch on wing-coverts ; wing less 



than 7 P. torquatus, p. 2.50. 



b. Head partly or wholly not green. 



c'. Head red in male, slaty in female ; back 

 green : wing about 6'5. 

 e". Under wing-coverts bluish green. ... P. cyanocephalus^ p. 25L 

 d". Under wing-coverts green, not bluish. P. rosa, p. 252. 

 d'. Head dark slaty in both sexes ; back 

 green : Aving 6-6*5. 

 e". Terminal portion of tail bright yeUow. P. schisticeps, p. 25.3. 

 /". Terminal portion of tail dull pinkish. P.Jinschi, p. 254. 



c. Crown and upper back grey ; breast green. 



e' . An emerald-green collar P. calthropcB, p. 256. 



f . No collar P. caniceps, p. 258. 



d. Crown and upper back grey ; brest grey or 



greyish green P. columboides, p. 255. 



e. Crown and nape pinkish or bluish grey ; 



breast red P.fasciatus, p. 256. 



* The young of several species, like P. forquafus J , are green throughout, 

 but the bill is black or brown or pale red, not deep red. These young birds 

 are difRcult to distiuguish at first, but they soon acquire the distinctive 

 coloration of adults. 



