ON THE GENUS LOEICULUS. 235 



" We perhaps learn, among other things, that the species of the genus 

 Loriculus have a tendency to vary in consequence of isolation on islands. 

 This is especially obvious when we go from Celebes to the north ; nearly 

 every larger island or island-group possesses its own species. One could 

 easily be induced to draw a series of similar and other conclusions as to the 

 past history of these islands and so on, according to the facts which the 

 geographical distribution of this genus alone indicates ; but it w^ould be over- 

 hasty. We must wait till all these islands are better-explored. These small 

 birds easily escape the explorer : thus, for instance, Loriculus exilis, on 

 Celebes, escaped Mr. Wallace, who was, as is known, the ablest of all 

 travellers in these countries as to discoveries in ornithology ; and L. aurantii- 

 frons escaped every visitor to New Guinea till I got two specimens on the 

 south shore of that island. As the latter bird occurs on Mysol (where Hoedt 

 discovered the species), which hes beyond the opposite coast of the main- 

 land, it is not to be doubted that it also lives in the intermediate districts. 

 These small green birds are very difficult to perceive in a tropical forest ; a 

 single leaf hides them ; and, besides great perseverance and skill, the orni- 

 thologist must take the hunter's chance. At present no species of Loriculus 

 is known from Timor, Burn, Ceram, Aru, and a great many other islands 

 which, no doubt, possess one species, if not two or more ; and science must 

 patiently w^ait, perhaps a century, before she can expect a real monograph of 

 this interesting and beautiful genus of Parrots — a monograph which, no 

 doubt, will aiford a series of positive conclusions as to the mode of geogra- 

 phical distribution and as to the variation of species in particular." 



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