LORIIN^E PICIN.E. Ill 



The Blue-winged Paroquet is common on the Ghats to the 

 west of Belgaum, and it also occurs on the Sahyadri range quite 

 as far north as Khandalla. 



It does not occur elsewhere within our limits. 



SUB-FAMILY, Loriinse. 



Bill compressed, small or moderate, slightly curved ; the mar- 

 gin of the upper mandible sometimes sinuated, and the notch 

 obsolete ; the lower mandible slender, conic, much longer than 

 high. 



GENUS, Loriculus, Blyih. 



Bill rather small, gently curving from the base ; the upper 

 mandible lengthened, slightly sinuated at the margin, moderate- 

 ly hooked, and tapering to a fine point ; lower mandible small ; 

 wings nearly as long as the tail ; first and second quill longest ; 

 tail short, even, or barely rounded. 



Loriculus vernalis, Sparrm. 



153. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 265 ; Butler, Deccan and 

 South Mahratta country ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 384. 



THE INDIAN LORIQUET. 



Length, 5'5 to 575 ; expanse, 875 to 10*25 ; wing, 3*4 to 375 ; 

 tail, 1-5 to 1'81 ; tarsus, 0'3 to 0'35 ; bill from gape, 0'45 to 0'5. 



BilLdark yellow to plumbeous ; irides pale yellow ; legs and 

 feet leaden to plumbeous. 



Above grass-green, darker on the wing-coverts and scapulars, 

 paler and yellowish beneath ; the wings and tail blue-green ; 

 rump and__imrj^r_ tail-coverts^ dull deep red ; wings and tail 

 beneath pale bluish ; chiETand throalTlirthe male, tinged with 

 verdigris-blue. 



The Indian Lorikeet is a cold weather visitant to the forests 

 of the Sahyadri Range as far north at least as Khandalla, and it 

 has been observed at Ratnagiri, Dharwar and in the Goa forests, 

 but it is absent from all other portions of the district. 



FAMILY, Picidse. 



Bill moderate and long, straight, angular, wedge-like ; tongue 

 long, extensile ; wings moderate, or rather long ; tail of twelve 

 feathers, ten of them with shafts, thick and stiff, the outermost 

 pair minute ; feet with the toes in pairs, one toe sometimes 

 wanting. 



SUB-FAMILY, Picinae, Gray. 



Bill perfectly wedge-shaped, compressed ; culmen straight ; the 

 lateral ridge well marked, more or less median ; gonys long ; the 

 outer posterior toe longer than the anterior one ; wings rather 

 long. 



