82 CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



feathers upon its head form a sort of coif or cap ; the plumage is of uniform blueish purple, with the 

 exception of the throat and upper part of the breast, which are of a dazzling white ; the lower part 

 of the wing and tail covers are dusky black. Its habits are similar to those of other Lorikeets. 



THE PAPUAN LORY. 



The Papuan Lory or Rasmalas (Pyrrhodes carnwsine Papuensis) is one of the somewhat 

 aberrant forms of this group. In shape it is more elongated than those we have just mentioned, and 

 may be recognised by the two middle feathers of its tail, which are longer than the body, and make 

 the entire length of the bird seventeen inches, of which no less than eleven inches must be allowed 

 to these middle tail-feathers : it measures about fourteen inches across the wings. The plumage of 

 the Rasmalas is bright and beautifully tinted, its general colour scarlet, interspersed with blue, golden, 

 and grass-green spots ; the head, neck, and top of the back, and the whole of the under portion of 

 the body, are scarlet, except two streaks of splendid sky-blue, edged with scarlet, which run over the 

 hinder and middle parts of the head ; the sides of the breast and legs are spotted with yellow, the 

 under tail-covers and the inner side of the legs are deep blue, the wings green, and the centre tail- 

 feathers light grass green tipped with gold, these last colours being repeated upon the other tail- 

 feathers, only that the latter are of a somewhat darker shade at their roots. 



The Rasmalas is an inhabitant of New Guinea, and an article of traffic to the natives, who treat 

 the dried skins as they do those of the Birds cf Faradise, cutting away both the legs, before exporting 

 them to Europe. As far as we know, this species has never been brought alive to our part of the 

 world, and we are quite ignorant as to its habits and mode of life. 



THE BLUE-STRIPED LORY. 

 The Blue-striped Lory (Lorius cyanostriatus), which we have selected as the subject of one of 

 our coloured illustrations (Plate III.), may be regarded as the type of the beautiful race to which it 

 belongs. Its small size, and comparatively feeble beak, the elevation of the tarsi, and the diminutive 

 claws, are eminently characteristic, as also is the somewhat wedge-shaped tail. The prevailing colour 

 of this species, like that of the Lories generally, is a brilliant crimson, which pervades the entire 

 plumage, but is much relieved and set off by dark shadings of deep red, almost approaching black- 

 ness, which cover the hinder part of the back, overspread the extremities of the wings and tail, and 

 vary the tints of the wing-covers, producing a very rich appearance, which is still further heightened 

 by a row of feathers of ultramarine, wherewith the hinder part of the neck is ornamented as with a 

 sort of cape. The eyes are surrounded by elongated patches of naked flesh-coloured skin, imme- 

 diately behind which the ear-feathers, of a brilliant ultramarine blue, are rendered very conspicuous. 



