538 ON TARIIAKEETS OF THE GENUS PSEPHOTUS. [Mar. 15, 



Mr. North examined them on their arrival in Sydney, and at 

 first believed them to belong to that species, but subsequently 

 noticed the characters to which I have referred. He was able to 

 examine no less than sixteen specimens, five of which were adult 

 males entirely lacking all trace of the brown frontal band that 

 characterises P. dissimilis. 



He writes, " What I regard as the chief point of difference is 

 that not onby are the lores, forehead and crown of the head of the 

 adult male black, but that this colour extends down the anterior 

 portion of the cheeks to the base of the lower mandible. 

 Viewed in front, the bird appears to wear a black mask or cowl. 

 Should it prove to be distinct I propose to distinguish it under 

 the name of Psephotus cucullatus, and vernacularly as the Black- 

 hooded Parrakeet." 



Text-fig\ 54. 



tit * 



Head of Psephotus cucullatus North. 



In the Society's pair of birds the male is rather rough in 

 plumage at present, but shows quite distinctly the characters above 

 described, and I think there is no doubt that Mr. North is right 

 in ascribing this to a new species. 



The female of P. cucullatus lacks any trace of the yellowish 

 frontal band which is present in the female of P. chrysopterygius ; 

 but it agrees fairly well with Professor Collett's description of 

 P. dissimilis. 



The recent consignment of these Parrakeets does not appear to 

 be the first arrival of P. cucullatus in Europe, for Mr. Blaauw 

 informs me that he has some specimens in his aviary at Hil- 

 versum, Holland, which he received last summer. Moreover, a 

 pair of birds received alive by Mrs. Johnstone, of Burrswood, 

 Groombridge, so long ago as 1902 or 1903, of which the skin of 



