290 M)-. ViGous's and Dr. Hon s fi eld's Description of the 



shown a figure of a coloured plant, used to put its tongue to the 

 flowers, as if with the intent of sucking them : and 1 have seen 

 it make the same attempt with a piece of cotton furniture. The 

 tlesh of this bird is very good eating." 



Although, according to general custom, we have referred our 

 New Holland birds of this species to the Psitt. hcematodus of 

 Linnteus, we have strong doubts as to their being the same spe- 

 cies. It is not, however, in our power at present to make any 

 decisive observations on this point, as we have not been able to 

 procure a sufficient number of authentic specimens of the Mo- 

 lucca birds, from whence Linnœus's original description was 

 taken, to compare with our i\ustralian specimens. We have also 

 to add, that a bird agreeing with the above description of the 

 female of this species, which we have marked with a note of 

 doubt, was brought from New Holland, and presented to the 

 Society as the female of the Blue Mountain Pairot. This bird 

 accurately accords with M. Le Vaillant's tigure of the female of 

 the Perruche à tête bleue. We are of opinion, however, that 

 it will prove to belong to a very distinct species. Mr. Caley, 

 whose observations on the spot were most accurate, informs us 

 that he noticed little difference in plumage between the sexes 

 of the Blue Mountain Parrot. And among hundreds of skins of 

 this species, which have come under our own observation, we 

 have never seen a second specimen agreeing with the bird to 

 which we allude. It is not probable that one sex should be so 

 common in the collections sent home to this country, and the 

 other sex. equally attractive in plumage, be so extremely rare. 



2. Capistratus. Tri. viridis, pileo gulàque purpurascenti-azu- 

 reis, pectore coccineo-aurantio, tectricibus infcrioribus cocci- 

 7}eis, torque nuchali fasciaque remigum subtus Jiavis. 



Psittacus 



