528 THE PAPUAN LORY. 



sea, determined to persevere in her education, but, destined to another fate, poor Poll 

 having one morning about dayl)reak wrouglit her way tlii-ougli the cage while I was asleep, 

 instantly flew overboard and perished in the Gulf of Mexico." 



The result of this and other experiments was, that "Wilson delivered his verdict in 

 favour of the Carolina Parrot, saying that it is a docile and sociable bird, soon becomes 

 perfectly familiar, and is jDrobably capable of imitating the accents of man. Towards its 

 own kind it displays the strongest affection, and if its companions be in danger, it hovers 

 about the spot iu loving sympathy. It is very fond of salt, and will frequent the saline 

 marshes in great numbers, covering the whole ground and neighbouring trees to such an 

 extent, that nothing is visible but their bright and glossy plumage. 



While thus assembled together Wilson shot a great number of the birds, and was 

 much struck with their affectionate conduct. " Having shot down a number, some 

 of which were only wounded, the whole flock swept repeatedly round their prostrate 

 companions, and again settled on a low tree within twenty yards of the sjjot where I stood. 

 At each successive discharge, though showers of them fell, yet the affection of the survivors 

 seemed ratlier to increase, for after a few circi^its round the place they again alighted near 

 me, looking down on their slaughtered companions with such manifest symptoms of 

 sympathy and concern as entirely disarmed me." 



The same graceful writer then proceeds to observe, with that accuracy of detail for 

 which his works are so valuable, " I could not but take notice of the remarkable contrast 

 between their elegant manner of flight, and their lame, crawling gait, among the branches. 

 They fly very nmch like the wild pigeon — in close compact bodies, and with great 

 rapidity, making a loiul and outrageoixs screaming, not unlike that of the red-headed 

 woodpecker. Their flight is sometimes in a direct line, but most usually circuitous, 

 making a great variety of elegant and easy serpentine meanders as if for pleasure. 



They are particularly attached to the large sycamores, in the hollows of the trunks 

 and branches of which they generally roost ; thirty or forty, and sometimes more, entering 

 at the same hole. Here they cling close to the sides of the tree, holding fast by the claws 

 and also by the bill. They appear to be fond of sleep, and often retire to their holes 

 during the day, probably to take a regular siesta. They are extremely sociable with and 

 fond of each other, often scratching each other's heads and necks, and always at night 

 iiestHng as close as possible to each other, preferring at that time a perpendicular position, 

 supported by their bill and claws." 



The general colour of this bird is gr-een, washed with blue, and diversified with other 

 tints as follows : The forehead and cheeks are reddish orange, the same tint is seen 

 on the shoulders and head and wings, and the neck and back of the head are pure golden 

 yellow. The upper parts of the body are soft green, and the under portions are of the 

 same hue, but with a yellowish cast. The greater wing-coverts are yellow, tinged with 

 green, the primary feathers of the wing are deep purplish black, and the long wedge- 

 shaped tail has the central feathers streaked with blue along their central line. The 

 female is coloured after the same fashion, but not so brightly, and the young of both sexes 

 are green on the neck instead of yellow. The total length of this species is about twenty- 

 one inches. 



In the Lories the bill is weaker than in the preceding species, and of smaller size, 

 and the plumage is very beautiful, scarlet being the predominating tint. 



The Papuan Lory is, as its name denotes, a native of Papua and other parts of New 

 Guinea, and has always attracted great attention on account of its beautiful form and 

 rich colouring. In its general shape it is not unlike the ring Parrakeet, the contour of the 

 body being very similar and the tail boldly graduated, with the two central feathers 

 projecting far beyond the rest. This elongated form of the tail-feathers is so unusual in 

 the Lories, which mostly have rather short and stumpy tails, that it has induced systematic 

 naturalists to place the bird in a genus distinct from the other Lories. ]\Iany specimens of 

 this lovely bird have been sent to England, but, like the birds of paradise, they are often 

 destitute of leg.s, and in some cases even tlie long tail-feathers have been abstracted, thus 

 entirely altering the appearance of the bird. 



