408 MESSRS. LAYARD ON A NEW PARROT. [May 2, 
4. Description of a new Species of Parrot of the Genus 
Nymphicus. By Evear L. Layarp, C.M.G., F.Z.8., &c., 
H.B.M. Consul, and E. Leororp C. Layarp, Vice-Consul 
at Noumea, New Caledonia. 
[Received April 28, 1882.] 
(Plate XXVI.) 
We have had in our possession for some time a pair of Parrots 
(s and 9) wnich we have unaccountably overlooked, mistaking 
them for immature birds of Nymphicus cornutus. A better acquain- 
tance with the latter, owing to our having killed many of them, 
and having had examples of the two species before us at the same time, 
has caused us to detect the differences, and we have much pleasure in 
introducing this new species to science. 
It is interesting as being confined to the small island of Uvéa, 
one of the Loyalties, which is perhaps, strictly speaking, a series of 
small islets, jomed together by a connecting reef, having a lagoon 
in the centre. We presume, though we have no certain knowledge, 
that the bird is found chiefly on the large or main island, which 
faces Lifou, and it is very remarkable that it does not extend to that 
island. A friend, however, wrote us word, some months since, that, 
after the hurricane at the beginning of last year, “crested Parrots’’ 
had appeared in Lifou. We will make further inquiries now our 
attention is turned to the subject, and find out to which species they 
belong ; we had set them down as NV. cornutus of course. The 
Parrot common on Lifou is, as we have already shown, T’richoglossus 
massena, Bp. (ef. Ibis, 1879, p. 185, &e-). 
Nymphicus uveensis, as we propose to call this new species (from 
the locality where it is found), may be thus described :—Closely re- 
sembling JV. cornutus, but wanting the red head, orange occiput, and 
nuchal collar, and exhibiting only the faintest trace, if at all (in some, 
not at all), of the orange on the rump. ‘The crest also is totally dif- 
ferent. In NV. cornutus (Plate XXVI. fig. 1) the crest is usually com- 
posed of two feathers (we have seen three when one was about to be 
shed) much elongated ; 2 inches is a good average length; we have 
seen specimens (one now lies before us) in which it is 3 inches long. 
The feathers are black, faintly tinged with green, and broadly tipped 
with red; they spring from the centre of the broad red cap which 
covers the whole of the top of the head. 
In N. uveensis (Plate XX VI. fig. 2) the crest isa bunch of six, short, 
upturned, and entirely green feathers, springing from the end of a small 
spot of red, that occupies the centre of the forehead, commencing at 
the nostrils. The crest-feathers are only an inch anda halflong. In 
N. cornutus the red cap reaches nearly to the eye, from which it is 
separated by the black of the cheeks, which fills up the space to the 
bill, and extends under the chin. All this is wanting in NV. wveensis: 
the black is changed to a dark green, except just on the nostrils, 
and the ear-coverts and lower part of the cheeks are bright green. 
