132 



FOEEIGN BIRDS FOR CAGE AND AVIARY. 



The closely related Red-breasted Lory (L. cri/t/irn- 

 thorax) was secured (one specimen only)' by Mr. C. B. 

 Horsbragh in New Guinea, and reiiched the London 

 Zoological Gardens in 1908. It may be the first and 

 last specimen imported for all we know, and is hardly 

 likely ever to be freely offered in the bird market. 



PtJKPLE-CAPrED Lory (Lorius domicella). 



Bright red, the mantle and back a little deeper than 

 the other parts ; the forehead and crown deep violet, 

 inclining to black ; the wings green, the coverts above 

 and the inner quills olivaceous ; base of inner web of 

 quills yellow ; the bend of the wing and under-coverts 

 blue tipped with whitish ; tail purplish-red at tip 

 alx>ve, but orange-red below ; a yellow band across the 

 fore-chest ; shanlvs clear blue, feet blackish-grey with 

 the claws black ; beak orange-red ; iris brown, brownish 

 yellow, or orange, with a narrower ring round the 

 pupil, clear yellow ; naked skin round eyes blackish. 

 Female probably with its beak narrower' at the base 

 than in the male. Hab., Ceram and Amboyna. 



In the young there is a greenish tinge between the 

 shoulders, a'nd the shank-feathers are mostly dull green. 



Dr. Guillemard mentions an example of" this s-pecies 

 which became partly yellow in confinement ; this he 

 notes as a well-known tendency in many of the Parrot 

 tribe. 



It is said to be imported from its native islands by 

 way of Java, a'nd has been known in the trade as long 

 as any species of its group, but is still far from cheap. 



Russ says that as a rule this Lory only learns single 

 words, and at best prattles short obiservations quickly 

 and hurriedly ; its call is not so shrill, more flute-like 

 tlwin that of other Lories. In several instances he has 

 known it to live many years in a cage ; it becomes 

 tame fairly quickly. 



Dr. 0. S. Simpson gave an account of a specimen of 

 this species in his possession in the first volume of The 

 Avicidtural .Mar/azine, pp. 59, 70. 



Greex-t.-iiled Lory {Lorius chlorocercus) . 



Red ; wings green, bend of wing bluish-white ; base 

 ot inner vreh of primaries red ; tail above red at base, 

 distal half green ; a broad yellow band across lower 

 throat ; a black patch on each side of neck ; tibite and 

 under wing-coverts blue ; tail below red at base, golden 

 olive towards distal extremity ; Iwak orange-red ; feet 

 lilack ; irides bright red to pale orange, with a narrow 

 white ring round the pupU. Female with the beak 

 narrower both at base and tip than in the male. Hab., 

 Solomon Islands. 



Consul Layard received a pair of this species which 

 had been taken from the nest in a hole in a tree ; one. 

 doubtless the male, was lively and active, and uttered 

 various notes, amongst which one could recognise the 

 words "Pretty Joey," a name by which its captor had 

 known it ; it also whistled long and shrilly, and uttered 

 several other .sounds. The female was quieter. They 

 were fond of drinking sugar-water in quantities, ate 

 bread-sop, cooked potatoes, rice, various roots, and 

 Tr.dian figs ; they fed peaceably out of a vessel or upon 

 the aforesaid fruit. The male was charmingly tame, 

 and allowed itself to be handled. 



A ]iair of this species was purchased by the Zoo- 

 logical Society of London and exhibited in the Gardens 

 at Regent's Park in 1867. 



Blue-thighed Lory (Lorius tibialis). 

 _ Red ; wings green ; bend of wing blue, with whitish 

 tips to the feathers ; some of the upper wing-coverts 



and primaries washed with dull red, base of inner webs, 

 of primaries yellow ; tail red, with a dark purple band 

 at tip; an ill-delined yellow baird across the lower 

 throat ; under wing-coverts blue tipped with whitish ; 

 tibia; blue ; beak orange ; feet pale. Sexes not differ- 

 entiated. Hab., unknown. The tyjie is in the British 

 Museum. 



The typical specimen was purchased by the Zoo- 

 logical Society of London in May. 1871, and was 

 described and named by Dr. Sclater. It is not men- 

 tioned by Dr. Russ in his " Handbook." 



Chaitering Lory (Lorius garrulus). 



Red ; interscapular region sometimes minutely spotted 

 with yellow ; wings green, the bend of M'ing yellow ; 

 upper \\ing-coverts t urged with olive ; base of inner 

 webs of primaries red ; tail with basal half red, distal 

 half dark purple tinged with green ; tibije dark green ;. 

 under wing-coverts yellow ; distal half of tail below 

 golden-red ; beak red ; feet dusky ; irides deep yellow, 

 with a brighter yellow inner ring. Female not differ- 

 entiated, but probably with the base of the beak 

 narrower. Hab., Halniahera. 



Schlechtendal considered this bird to be an arrant 

 screamer and not very clever ; one in ilr. Blaauw's 

 possession, on the other hand, showed remarkable 

 talent, mimicked all kinds of sounds which it heard, 

 learned to speak a good deal in a soft voice, and almost 

 with understanding. It was always very excitable and 

 passionate, snapping its beak" at everyone who 

 approached it. Its note was not so metallically sharp 

 as in the other Lories, only amioying because" of the 

 erdless repetition of the same note." It was quiet, how- 

 ever, if taken out of the cage. ^Nlr. Heer (a lawyer) 

 held similar views of it. One in the possession of Mr. 

 Scheuba laid eggs on several occasions. According to 

 Russ, in his " Handbook," the price in the German 

 market varies from 30s. to £5. Tlie first two examples 

 (a pair) owned by the London Zoological Society were 

 purchased in January. 1854. since which time a good 

 many examples have been exhibited in the Gardens, the 

 last recorded in the ninth edition of the Society's list 

 having been presented in 1890. 



Yellow-backed Lory (Lorius faro-jjalliatus). 



Differs from the preceding species in having a broad 

 yellow jmtch on the interscajjular region. Female with 

 the beak narrower at base and the culmen less arched. 

 Hab., " Obi, Batchian, Morotai, Raou."— (Salvadori.) 



Dr. Guillemard ("Proceedings of the Zoological 

 ■Society," 1885, p. 564) says: "Iris of the Batchian 

 birds yellow or orange ; of the Obi birds yellowish-brown. 

 Bill orange ; feet greyish-black. With the exception of 

 the different colour of the iris, there is no noticeable 

 difference between the birds from the Obi group and 

 from Batchian." 



Although tliis species has been e.xliibited at the Lon- 

 don ZoologicaJ Gal-dens more than once, it does not 

 appear in Russ' Handbook ; whether he includes it in 

 his later work I cannot say, as I do noit possiess the 

 volume dealing with the Parrots. 



Under the genus- Vini, Russ describes T'. australis, 

 but he doi98 not say wheither it has' ever been imported ; 

 possibly, as in other cases, he thinks it mav be some 

 day. 



Ktjhl's Lory (Vini hihli). 



Above green ; the upper back or intei-scapular region 



olivaceous, but the lower back, rump, and upper taU- 



ooyerts yellowish ; wings with the outer webs of tho- 



primaries edged with bliie, the inner webs black ; tail 



