by the B.O.U. Expedition to Dutch New Guinea. 101 



and ultramarine wings ; C. diophthalmus ; and C. godmani 

 [O.-Grant, Bull. B. O. C. xxvii. p. 67 (1911)], a new and 

 handsome species with the general colour green, the head and 

 nape orange-scarlet, the upper mantle orange-yellow, the 

 cheeks covered with long, pointed, yellowish feathers, and 

 the chest verditer-blue. 



Behind tlie camp at Wakatimi lay a swamp which, Mr. 

 Goodfellow tells us, was every night the roosting-place of 

 thousands of Lories, chiefly Eos Juscatiis, and there were also 

 smaller flocks of Trichoglofisus ci/anogrammuft. Long before 

 sunset and until it Avas quite dusk flocks of many hundred 

 birds coming from all directions flew over with deafening 

 noise. Often some weak branch would give way under their 

 weight, causing a panic just as the noise was beginning to 

 subside, and clouds of these birds would again circle aiound, 

 seeking a fresh roosting-place and keeping up a continual din. 



One of the most peculiar Parrots, and bearing a marked 

 external resemblance to the Kea of New Zealand, is the 

 Vulturine Parrot (Dasi/ptilus pesgueti) , Avhich has the black 

 skin of the face almost entirely bare, the plumage black and 

 scarlet on the wings, rump, and belly, the breast-feathers 

 having pale sandy margins. Its hoarse, grating call, quite 

 unlike that of any other species, could be heard a long 

 way off, and was continually uttered when on the wing. 

 Mr. Goodfellow says it usually moves about in parties of 

 four or five individuals, and that occasionally as many as seven 

 may be seen together. When not feeding they always select 

 the tallest trees to rest in, preferring dead ones which tower 

 above the general level of the jungle, and iu Avhich they 

 remain for hours at a time in rain or sunshine. They do 

 not climb after the usual manner of Parrots, but jump from 

 branch to branch with a jerky movement, like the Lories, 

 and with a rapid flicking movement of the wings. They feed 

 entirely on soft fruits, chiefly wild figs. Apparently the 

 species feeds on the plains and retires to the mountains to 

 roost, for every evening flocks or pairs were observed passing 

 high over the camp at Parimau, and making their way to- 

 Avards the Saddle-peak range. 



