Lorikeets 459 



cere, and naked chin are black. With orange-red bills the fifteen species of 

 Red Lories (Eos) are distinguished by the prevailing red color of the plumage, 

 including the wings, while the true Lories (Lorius), of which there are a baker's 

 dozen of species, have the wings green. As an example of the beautiful coloring 

 among the latter the Purple-capped Lory (L. domicella) of Ceram and Amboyna 

 may be more fully described. The general color of the plumage throughout is 

 scarlet, darker on the back and scapulars, the top of the head deep purplish 

 black, becoming violet on the hind head, while the breast is relieved by a broad 

 band of golden yellow; the wings are green, becoming blue at the bend and 

 beneath, and the tail is red with a band at the tip which is dark purple -red 

 above and golden-red below; the length of this bird is twelve inches. 



Lorikeets. In the remaining genera of the subfamily the feathers of the 

 tail are more or less narrowed and acute at the tip, among them being the inter- 

 esting little Lorikeets (Trichoglossus'), of which there are sixteen or more species. 

 As an example of these we may select the Red-collared Lorikeet (T. rubritor- 

 ques), which inhabits the coasts of Northwest Australia. It has the back, wings, 

 and tail green, the head and cheeks a resplendent blue, and the throat and 

 abdomen a deep olive-green, while on breast and nape there is a band of orange- 

 red, and a broad band of deep blue crosses the hind neck. This is a common 

 species, generally seen in flocks of large size and feeding on the summits of the 

 loftiest forest trees. Mr. Gould speaks enthusiastically of the sight of a flock 

 of these birds, perhaps in company with several other allied- species, as they are 

 feeding among the bright-colored flowers of a eucalyptus or other forest tree. 

 "The incessant din produced by their thousand voices, and the screaming notes 

 which they emit when a flock simultaneously leaves the trees for some other part 

 of the forest, is not easily described, and must be seen and heard to be fully 

 comprehended. So intent are they for some time after sunrise upon extricating 

 their honey-food, that they are not easily alarmed or made to quit the trees upon 

 which they are feeding. The report of a gun discharged immediately beneath 

 them has no other effect than to elicit an extra scream, or cause them to move 

 to a neighboring branch, where they again recommence feeding with avidity, 

 creeping among the leaves and clinging beneath the branches in every variety 

 of position." Their food consists almost entirely of honey and the buds of 

 trees. 



Passing over the still smaller Lorikeets of the genus Glossopsittacus, the five 

 species of which are confined to Australia and neighboring islands and Hypo- 

 charmosyna, which embraces the smallest members of the group, the briefest 

 mention may be made of the Arfak and Astrolabe Parrots (Oreopsiltacus), whose 

 only claim to attention is the fact that of all the Parrots they alone possess four- 

 teen feathers in the tail. The Arfak Parrot (O. arfaki) is a small dark green 

 bird with the top of the head, sides, and under wing-coverts red and the cheeks 

 and ear-coverts dark blue. 



The False Lorikeets (Subfamily Cyclopsittacince). Standing in some 

 respects as a connecting link between the present and the following family are 

 the members of this little subfamily which numbers only two genera and some 



