KLHI/S CORIPIIILUS. 185 



&c.) The bill is small and short, of a red colour. 

 The i rides are composed of three circles, the exte- 

 rior being red, the second grey, and the third or 

 inner yellow. The forehead and crown are of a 

 lively green, the double occipital crest is of a rich 

 violet-purple, and composed of long narrow feathers, 

 which it can erect at pleasure, but most frequently 

 when irritated or alarmed. The face, fore-neck, 

 breast, and abdomen, are blood-red, the thighs of a 

 deep purplish-red, the vent and upper tail- coverts 

 are sulphur-yellow. The hind-neck, the back and 

 wings are of a lively yellowish-green. The tail, 

 which is pretty long and broad, is red, tinged with 

 purple, the tips of the feathers green. The legs 

 and toes are red, the latter short and strong ; the 

 claws are black and hooked. 



Another very beautiful and interesting bird, which 

 appears to belong to this little group, is the Psitt. 

 Taitensis, Gmel. : Blue, but having the throat, fore 

 part of the. neck, and cheeks, white. It frequents 

 the very summits of the cocoa-trees, examining their 

 flowers at the moment of bursting, for the sweet li- 

 quid which is there abundant. 



Apparently in near connection with Wagler's ge- 

 nus Coriphilus, in the weak structure of the bill, 

 and in the length and shape of the wings, is another 

 group of diminutive Parrots, inhabiting the Indian 

 and Australian islands, for which we adopt the title 

 of Psittaculusy and which, we believe, will enter 



