80 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



male is a shimmering bluish black. In captivity, their only food 

 is a compound liquid, at which they sip almost constantly. 



Most gorgeous of the lot are five species of lories, — East 

 Indian parrots whose tongues become adapted for an exclusive 

 diet of pollen and soft fruit. These include the red-fronted 

 (Chalcopsittacus scintillatus) , Stella (Charmosyna stellae) , 

 dark -throated (Trichoglossus nigrigularis) , red-collared {T. 

 ruhritorques) and purple-capped lories, {Lorius domicellus) . 



A large series of brilliant Australian parrakeets contains 

 such rare species as yellow-naped (Barnardius semitorqiiatus) , 

 Barnard (B. barnardi) , Barraband {Polytelis barrabandi) , 

 many colored (Psephotus multicolor), yellow-cheeked (Platy- 

 cercus icterotis and Adelaide (P. adelaidae) . Always uncom- 

 mon, these birds have become practically unprocurable since the 

 enactment of the new Australian bird protection laws. 



Among the larger birds are a variety of eagles, vultures, 

 owls, hawks and gulls. There are three Goliath herons (Ardea 

 goliath) , standing fully four feet high when erect and so savage 

 that it is unsafe for their keeper to enter their cage unarmed. 



Everyone knows the familiar little green "love-birds," 

 which tell the fortunes of the credulous by plucking cards from 

 boxes under the direction of Italian women on street cor- 

 ners. It is easy to imagine, then, the excitement caused in Eng- 

 land three years ago by the appearance of birds of this species 

 (Melopsiftacus undidatus) , the plumage of which was of the 

 most delicate blue, set off by purest white. This change of color 

 had been caused by a total elimination of the yellow from the 

 normal green, and is of great scientific interest. These birds 

 have been jealously guarded in Europe, and the Society's pair 

 are the first to find their way across the Atlantic. 



Probably of even greater importance to the Society than the 

 acquiring of the above collection, was the gaining of new and 

 important data as to the feeding of delicate birds. The inher- 

 ent love which most Europeans have for birds leads them to 

 spare no time or trouble in experimenting along these lines. 

 The benefit derived from study at first hand of these methods 

 is already apparent, not only in the improved condition of 

 many of the most delicate specimens but also in the lessened 

 cost of our complicated food mixtures. 



Pheasant Monograph. — In continuance of this work, the 

 Curator spent three months in Europe, studying the collections 

 in the museums of London, Tring, Paris and Berlin, thus round- 



