':S3'4 Notes on ike Parroquets of Iniia. 



fove-pai'b of the throat, and extending, laterally, in two narrow 

 processes on each side of the neck ; in the black line extending 

 from the base of the beak to the eyes ; and more particularly in 

 the deep purplish red patch at the base of its wings. Its bill is 

 larger than that of the rose ring parrakeet, from which it 

 scarcely differs except in this particular, — in the somewhat 

 greater breadth ^nd deeper colouring of its rosy collar, and in the 

 dark red marking of its shoulders which is wanting in the latter. 

 The usual length of the male bird is from 18 to 20 inches ; the 

 female is smaller but does not, according to M. Levaillant, 

 differ in colouring."^" Bennett likewise informs us that the Ceylon 

 bird " is of much rarer occurrence than several of the other 

 species of the same group ; " while Mr. Layard declares that " in 

 Ceylon it is found in countless thousands at Batticalea nestling 

 in the cocoanut trees, and resorting to them at night in vast 

 flocks." Cassell remarks of this bird that " it is a native of 

 .India and Ceylon, and derives its designation from the fact, 

 real or supposed, of its having been first transported from Asiatic 

 countries by Alexander the Great. Its most distinguishing 

 characters consist in the hroad black patch which occupies the 

 fore-part of the throat and extends laterally in two narrow pro- 

 cesses on each side of the neck ; a black line stretches from the 

 base of the beak to the eyes, and there is a deep purplish red 

 patch at the base of the wings." This however is but a repeti- 

 tion of Bennett's account, and is evidently copied from him. 



Latham's description of what he terms P. Alexandri is this : 

 " Length, 15 inches ; bill, red ; plumage in general, green, paler 

 beneath ; throo.t blach, passing behind to meet a crescent of red 

 at the back of the neck ; at the bend of the wing, a purplish 

 spot j tail longer than the body, green fringed with blue, 

 and pale yellow beneath ; in shape greatly cuniform ; legs, 

 dusky." 



Then he gives a variety which he says "h 21| inches, the tail 

 being longer in proportion ; lower mandible, dusky ; eyelids, 

 broad, rough, crimson ; at the base of the neck a crimson ring, 

 met on each side by a crescent of black, taking rise at the under 

 jaw ; bend of the wing and the coverts blue ; on the latter a long 

 patch of crimson, quills, blue ; tail, very long and cuniform ; 

 legs, flesh colour. The female has no ring, nor any black on the 

 chin t ; space round the eye narrower." 



* Does this meau that the female possesses the black and rose-coloured rings 

 on the neck as in the male ? If sOj this character at once distinguishes the 

 species from all Indian parrakeets. 



t This mention of no ring and black patch in the female of the variety looks 

 as if it existed in P. Alexandri ! 



