VI 



PSITTACIDAE 369 



The genus Eclcdus, extending from the Moluccas with the 

 Tenimber Islands to the Solomon Archipelago, has green males 

 and red females. E. j^ectoralis of Papuasia is green, with red 

 sides, blue remiges and lateral rectrices edged with green, and 

 yellow-tipped tail. The female differs in having the head, chest, 

 and upper parts bright red, the end of the tail lighter, the breast, 

 abdomen, edge of the wing and a dorsal band blue. 



Dasyptilus 'pes(iueti of New Guinea is black, with the tail- 

 coverts, abdomen, sides, much of the wings, and a lateral band 

 on the occiput red ; the crown- and nape-feathers are narrow 

 and pointed, the face and throat nearly naked and black. It 

 lives at considerable altitudes in couples or small companies, 

 eating fruit, and uttering a loud, harsh cry. Coracopsis vasa, the 

 Vasa or " loud-voiced " Parrot of Madagascar, sacred to royalty 

 in one of the tribes, and its lesser compatriot, C. nigra, are 

 blackish-brown, with grey wings, rump, and tail, and yellowish 

 naked orbits. The small flocks are partly terrestrial, but fly high ; 

 the cry is shrill ; the food consists of seeds and other fruits and 

 roots. C. vasa has been introduced into Reunion, C. comorensis 

 and C. sihihuis inhabit the Comoros, C. harklyi the Seychelles. 



That clever talker, Psittacus erithacus, the Grey Parrot, which 

 ranges across Equatorial Africa, is ashy-grey, with black prim- 

 aries, red tail, and whitish naked face. It walks well, and climbs 

 admirably by the aid of its beak, flying with chattering screams 

 at considerable elevations, consorting in large companies, and pro- 

 bably nesting in holes in trees. P. timneh is not known to talk. 



Poeoccphalus rohustus of Southern Africa is green, with brown- 

 ish head, neck, remiges and rectrices ; it has vermilion thighs, 

 bend of the wing, and, occasionally, forehead ; and naked orbits. 

 The habits call for no special mention. Caica melanocephala of 

 Gu.iana and Amazonia is green, with yellow cheeks, throat, sides 

 and tip of the tail, a rufous nuchal collar, whitish lower parts, 

 black primaries margined with blue, and green and black naked 

 orbits. Gijpojjsittacus vulturinus of the Lower Amazons is chiefly 

 green, yellow feathers tipped with black covering the throat, and 

 forming a band at the back of the naked but hairy black head ; 

 the thighs are yellow stained with red ; the upper w^ing-coverts 

 blue margined with green, except the lesser, which are orange aud 

 red ; the primaries are blue and black ; the secondaries greener ; 

 the rectrices green and yellow, tipped with blue. 



VOL. IX 2 b 



