412 



P A R R O T. 



are about two-thirds the length of those nearest the 

 middle ones. They are all rather broad, very firm in 

 their texture, and very firm at their termination*, 

 The two middle ones are delicate grass green for 

 nearly two-thirds of their length from the base, and 

 delicate yellow for the remaining part. The lateral 

 feathers are darker green, for about the half of their 

 length, and deep saffron yellow for the other half. 

 Taken altogether, the tail is one of the most beautiful 

 appendages to be met with in the whole of the fea- 

 thered race. The general plumage of the body is 

 a very brilliant, though rather deep, red ; but it is 

 variegated by markings of brilliant azure. Of this 

 colour there is one well-marked spot upon the hind 

 part of the head, reaching nearly from eye to eye ; 

 and another on the nape. These two spots are ren- 

 dered still more brilliant by each of them having a 

 margin of deep purple, inclining to black. The lower 

 part of the back, the rump, and also the feathers upon 

 the tibiae, are also azure ; and in some species there is 

 a little white or yellow below the turn of the wing. 

 The wings are green, passing into darker on the inner 

 webs of the primary quills, which are almost black. 

 The bill is reddish orange, with the tip of the upper 

 mandible extending far over that of the under one ; 

 but it is a light and delicate bill, and the projecting 

 tip is not nearly so much hooked as in the parrots. 

 This is indeed one of the most beautiful of birds, in 

 every point of view in which it can be taken. It is 

 a native of that country which is the grand head- 

 quarters of the birds of paradise, and which is per- 

 haps richer in its ornithology, and also in its vegetable 

 productions, than almost any other country on the 

 lace of the earth. It is, therefore, seriously to be 

 regretted that the character of its inhabitants is such, 

 that no naturalist can explore it, or even venture to 

 land upon it, without almost the certainty of being 

 murdered. This is the more to be regretted, because it 

 occupies a very peculiar situation on the globe. Its 

 coasts are not yet wholly discovered : but enough 

 has been observed to show that it is an island, or 

 islands (for the fact of its being or not being inter- 

 sected by the sea has not been ascertained), of large 

 dimensions. It meets the regular wind and current 

 of the Pacific from the east, and also the current 

 which is turned north-eastward by the great coral 

 reefs which stretch away to the south. The means 

 of fertility are thus concentrated upon it ; and there 

 is no question, that, were there any means whereby it 

 could be opened to scientific investigation, New 

 Guinea would more richly repay the labour than any 

 other spot on the face of the earth. It is especially 

 remarkable as a station in the annual movements of a 

 vast number of exceedingly splendid birds, which 

 move in countless multitudes between it and the lands 

 to the north and west, at one season of the year ; and 

 between it and the fertile spots on the east coast of 

 New Holland, in another. It is highly probable, that, 

 besides the species which we have just mentioned, 

 this island may contain various other species of lories 

 equally splendid ; and until favourable circumstances 

 arise, under which its natural history can be explored, 

 the eyes of naturalists, and especially of ornitho- 

 logists, will be directed towards it in the most anxious 

 manner. 



We must now direct our attention farther to the 

 south and to the east to New Holland, and to the 

 remoter isles of the Pacific, where succulent fruits are 

 not so abundant as they are in the native localities of 



the red lories, a few of which we have enumerat 

 and where, in consequence, birds of this section in 

 be adapted lor finding a different sort of food. 



It is here that we meet with those beautiful bi 

 of very varied plumage, still resembling the lori 

 properly so called, in the general form of the bill, I 

 having the tongue differently constructed. In i 

 lories the papilla; on that organ are short and so 

 but in the birds now to be considered they are 

 considerable length, drawn out like firm and elas 

 ends of thread, and sometimes forming a tuft roi 

 the extremity of the tongue like a little cylindri 

 brush. On this account some have regarded tli 

 birds as a distinct genus from the lories, and appl 

 to them the generic name of "jTrickoglottt, or " iibn 

 tongues ;" but this is perhaps a refinement in s 

 tematic arrangement which is of small value in 

 popular point of view. 



If these birds are to be taken as a genus, they n 

 be characterised as follows : The bill smaller 

 proportion than in any others of the parrot fam 

 compressed lateral!}', weak in its structure, and \\ 

 but a slight convexity in the lower mandible, thoi 

 in some species the tip of the upper one extend 

 considerable way over it ; the margins of both m 

 dibles are in every instance thin and smooth, with 

 any tooth, or other armature, by means of which 

 birds could break a hard or a tough substance ; 

 wings are of moderate length, narrow and very. mi 

 pointed, the first quill in each being the longest ; 

 the webs of all the quills are very firm and entire, 

 that the wings are powerful ones, and far more m 

 than if they were of larger dimensions ; the tarsi 

 short and stout, and feathered a little beyond tl 

 articulation with the tibiae, affording protection to 

 muscles and their tendons ; the toes are also lar 

 offering a broad base for rest ; and the claws 

 sharp, strong, and crooked ; the tail, in most of 

 species at least, is long, very strong at its insert! 

 and generally tapering nearly to a point. Altogetl 

 the birds are remarkable for the compactness of tl 

 forms, and they are by no means inferior in 

 beauty of their plumage. Their food, in great pi 

 consists of the honey which they extract from 

 nectaries of flowers by means of the fringed app 

 dages to their tongues ; and their subsisting npo 

 food so light, and obtained in such small quanl 

 from any individual Mower, requires the laborious i 

 of their very neat and clever organs of flight. If 

 are to compare the tender-billed members of 

 parrot family with those which have the bills rob 

 and fitted for severe labour, we should be inclined 

 say that there is the same resemblance between th 

 birds and the parakeets, which have not the mid 

 feathers of the tail produced, as there is between 

 short-tailed lories and the parrots properly so call 

 Some have gone a great deal farther than this, a 

 in the visions of the night of their own nonsense, hi 

 seen representations ot all the birds under the cane 

 of heaven in the different varieties of the par 

 families ; but the gentlest appellations which can 

 applied to such pretended discoveries is, that tl 

 are gratuitous nonsense. We shall now advert 

 one or two of the species, and we shall use the wi 

 lorikeet as the general English name. 



Blue- bellied Lorikeet (J. hcematodus). This is 

 Australian species, and an exceedingly beautiful i 

 characteristic one. It is not a very large bird, be 

 only thirteen inches in length, of which the 



