INSESSORES. 37 



with a rose-coloured spot at the extremity on the under 

 surface. 



The young male for the first two years resembles the 

 female, which is doubtless the cause why so few birds are 

 seen in the bright red dress, compared with those having a 

 green head and chest. 



Genus PTISTES, Gould. 



The birds for which I propose the above generic appellation 

 are, in my opinion, sufficiently different in form and colouring 

 to warrant their being separated from Aprosmictus, and formed 

 into a new genus. At present three species are known to me, 

 two of which are Australian ; the third is the Ptistes vulne- 

 ratus, figured in the voyage of the Astrolabe as Psittacus 

 erythr.opterus, and said to be from Timor. They have a very 

 laboured flight, consequent on the great size of their wings, 

 which has suggested the generic name of Ptistes, i. e. winnower. 



Sp. 410. PTISTES ERYTHROPTERUS. 



Red-winged Lory. 



Psittacus erythropterus, Gmel. Syst., vol. i. p, 343. 



melanotus, Shaw, Nat. Misc., pi. 653. 



Crimson-winged Parrot, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. i. p. 299; and Supp., 



p. 60. 

 Platycercus erythropterus, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. 



p. 284. 

 Aprosmictus erythropterus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part x. p. 112. 



Aprosmictus erjrthropterus, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v, 

 pi. 18. 



The extensive belts of Acacia pendula which diversify the 

 plains of the eastern portion of Australia are tenanted by this 

 bird, either in small companies of six or eight, or in flocks of 

 a much greater number. It is beyond my power to describe 

 the extreme beauty of the appearance of the Red-winged Lory 



