108 How to Sex Cage Birds. 



Forsten's Lorikeet (Trichoglossus forsteni). 



The beak of the male is broader at the base, and tapers less 

 towards the tip than that of the female. 



Green-naped Lorikeet (Ti'ichoglossus cyanogrammus). 



I could find no sexed males in the Museum, but what I believe to 

 be birds of that sex differ from the females in having the base of 

 the beak broader. 



Mitchell's Lorikeet (Trichoglossus mitchelli). 



The male has a shorter and broader beak than the female, with 

 the culmen more arched. 



Swainson's Lorikeet (Trichoglossus nova'-hollandw). 



In the male the beak is broader beyond the middle, and tapers 

 less than that of the female. 



Ornamental Lorikeet (Trichoglossus omatus). 



The beak of the male is much longer; and broader towards the 

 tip, than that of the female. 



Scaly-breasted Lorikeet (Psitteuteles chlorolepidotus). 



As there was only one sexed female in the collection, I can only 

 recommend lovers of the Parrakeets to sex this species upon the 

 excellent characters indicated by my friend Mr Seth-Smith. 



Musky Lorikeet (Glossopsittacus concinnus). 



I went carefully through the long series in the Museum ; but, as 

 with the preceding species, only one female was sexed. I must there- 

 fore ask my readers to deal with this species as with Psitteuteles. 

 The past generation of collectors of Australian birds seems to have 

 been strangely remiss in labelling specimens with the sex-mark, and 

 yet with birds in which the plumage of the male and female shows 

 very slight shades of difference, it is far more important that the 

 sex should be ascertained by dissection, and carefully noted, than in 

 those where the colouring alone is an ample indication of the sex. 

 Doubtless in the future these drawbacks to study will be abolished ; 

 indeed, when the careful system of measurements of every part now 

 being adopted in the United States becomes general, it will be 

 absolutely necessary that the sex of every specimen shall be 

 recognised. Then, with a large series of males on one side and 

 females on the other, the value of every sexual difference will be 

 appreciated as it has never been up to the present time. 



