90 BARRABAND RING-PARRAKEET. 



in Africa. It was first figured by Mr Swainson, m 

 his elegant and valuable " Illustrations/' under the 

 name of Psittacus Barrabandi, from a skin in the 

 possession of Mr Leadbeater ; but as no observations 

 or notes appear to have accompanied the remains of 

 the bird, we are without information as to its pecu- 

 liar economy. Judging, however, from the propor- 

 tions of its legs and feet, we are led to suppose that 

 it is more terrestrial in its habits than its congeners, 

 or that, in addition to its scansorial or grasping 

 powers, it possesses superior activity, and moves 

 with greater facility upon the ground. In size it is 

 about equal to the Rose-ring Parrakeet, its length 

 being full 15 inches, of which the tail alone measures 

 8J inches. The bill is red ; the sinciput, throat, 

 and fore-neck of a rich yellow, the latter terminated 

 by a collar of brick red ; the space between the bill 

 and eyes, and the ear- coverts, are clear grass green ; 

 the upper and under parts of the body are green, 

 tinged with blue upon the hind head and outer mar- 

 gins of the quill-feathers. The upper surface of the 

 tail is green, the two intermediate feathers about two 

 inches longer than any of the others, with their ex- 

 tremities widened and rounded ; under surface of 

 the wings and tail blackish-brown ; legs black. By 

 Wagler this bird was removed from the genus Pa- 

 laeornis, and constitutes his genus Polytelis ; but 

 as the only character upon which it is established 

 consists in the slight elongation and slenderness of 

 the tarsi and toes, we have retained it among the 



