481 



PSITTACHXE. 



PSITTACID.E. 



482 



'* Lower mandible elongated. 



P. Papuenais. 



Platycercus (Loriets). Bill rather short, the uppper mandible 

 rounded and dilated, the lower one short, deeply emarginate, with the 

 apex squared. Wings rounded; the first quill shorter than the 

 second and equal to the fifth ; second and third longest ; the external 

 webs of all except the first abruptly notched towards the middle. 

 Tail broad, depressed, rather rounded or sub-graduated; the tail- 

 feathers rounded at the apex. Feet with elevated tarsi; the toes 

 slender and elongated, and the claws long and but little falcated. 



P. acapulatus, Tabuan Parrot, or King's Parrot. 



Male. Green ; the head, neck, and body beneath scarlet ; nuchal 

 luuula and rump lazuline; longitudinal scapular line pale-green 

 cerulean ; tail-feathers black, with brilliant green reflections. 



Female. Head and neck green. 



It is a native of Australia. 



some idea of the immense flocks of this beautiful bird, which inhabit 

 the interior of Australia, the same author informs us that his brother- 

 in-law, Stephen Coxen, Esq., procured more than 200 examples during 

 a single excursion into the interior. 



\ 



Tabuan Parrot (Platyccrcus tcapulatits}. 



Mr. Caley seldom noticed a full-coloured specimen, that is, red. He 

 states that, when the Indian corn is ripe, they may be seen in large 

 flocks on the farms, clinging on the stalks and occasioning much 

 mischief to the corn. He apprehends that the greater part of these 

 flocks are young birds, as it is rare to see a bright-red one among 

 them. The natives told him that this species breeds chiefly in a white 

 gum-tree (a species of Smealgpltuty, making its nest of a little grass, 

 and lining it with feathers. It has, he adds, as many as twelve 

 young ones, and the eggs are of a dirty-white witli black specks ; the 

 neat is found by its enlarging the hole at which it creeps in; this 

 process gives the surrounding part a reddish appearance, which 

 forming a contrast with the whiteness of tie other part?, renders it 

 conspicuous. 



A'ymphiciu. Bill distinctly toothed ; culmen slightly carinated ; 

 nostrils thick, tumid, naked ; head crested. Wings very long; outer 

 web of the quills not sinuated. Tail very broad, cuneated ; the two 

 middle tail-feathers conspicuously longest and pointed. (Sw.) 



N. Pfova HMandia;. Male. Forehead, crest, and cheeks lemon- 

 yellow ; ear-coverts rich reddish-orange ; back of the neck, two centre 

 tail-feathers, and the external margins of the primaries brownish-gray ; 

 back, shoulders, and all the under surface and outer tail-feathers 

 grayish chocolate-brown, the shoulders and flanks being the darkest ; 

 a white mark extends from the shoulders lengthwise down the centre 

 of the wing ; bill and bare space round the eye brownish-gray ; feet 

 blackish-brown. , 



The Female differs from the male in the colour of the face and 

 crest being of a dull olive-yellow, the latter becoming still darker at 

 its extremity ; the throat grayish-brown and the back lighter than in 

 the male ; the lower part of the abdomen, upper tail-coverts, and tail- 

 feathers, yellow, except the four middle ones, which are gray ; the 

 whole transversely and irregularly barred with lines of brown. Total 

 length 12 inches. 



Mr. Gould, whose accurate description we have given from his grand 

 work on the ' Birds of Australia,' states that this species has many of 

 the actions of the Platijcerci, being extremely active, and running 

 round ita cage with surprising agility, in which particular it is only 

 equalled by the most terrestrial members of the family. To give 



HAT. HIST. DIV. VOL. IV. 



Xyinphici(8 Nova Hollaiiditr. 



ia, Wagl. (Xanodea, Vig.). Bill short ; the culmen rounded, 

 higher than it is long, being very like that of Macrocercus, the lower 

 mandible very short, inclining inwards, and emarginate. Wings 

 moderate, sub-acuminate; first and second quills, which are nearly 

 equal, longest; the external webs of the second and third slightly 

 emarginate towards the apex. Feet moderate ; tarsi and toes rather 

 slender. Tail gradually cuneated ; tail-feathers slender towards the 

 apex. (Vigors.) 



K. unduiata. Male. Crown of the head aud throat pale yellow, 

 the latter ornamented on each side with several rich blue spots, r, row 

 of which, but of a darker tint, crosses the throat in the form of a 



undulutit. 



crescent ; sides and back of the head, back of the neck, upper part of 

 the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts olive-brown, cacli feather having 

 a crescent-shaped mark of black near its extremity, and margined 

 with yellow ; primaries green on their outer edges, the tip and internal 



2 I 



