ON THE GENUS LORICULUS. 245 



which are of interest, because no one could make them, unless he had watched 

 the species in its native country ; and commonly it happens, that those who 

 have such an opportunity are not by taste and education fitted to record what 

 they see. Dr. Meyer remarks thus : — 



" I obtained the first specimens of this very nice little species at the end 

 of the month of March 1871, quite in the neighbourhood of Manado, in North 

 Celebes. After that I could not find any more till the end of April of the 

 same year ; but in the^ month of May they became so plentiful that I was able 

 to get any amount of specimens. I never shot the bird again, except in the 

 neighbourhood of Manado within these three months, and nowhere else. 

 Rosenberg found it in the province of Gorontalo, more to the south, viz. at 

 Tulabollo and Paguat" [Schlegel writes " Toulabello'' and ^^Tagouat"]; "but 

 no other places are known up to this time, as far as I am aware. No doubt 

 the bird will have a wider distribution ; but, on account of its small size, it 

 is difficult to perceive and to procure. Neither do I doubt that there are 

 some of its near relations still to be discovered ; and it is to be hoped that all 

 the island-groups in question may be soon still more thoroughly searched 

 through than has at present been done. 



" The nearest known ally of Loriculus emits is L. aurantiifrons, Schlegel ; 

 with respect to coloration, the chief difference is the orange spot on 

 the forehead in the latter species. But L. aurantiifrons is from the island of 

 Mysol and from New Guinea. Should not the intervening islands offer aUied 

 species ? It seems to me more than probable that they will do so. 



''^Loriculus exilis was collected by the natives of Manado, whom I put in 

 motion to procure it, with blowpipes — i, e. with long bamboos through which 

 they blow small arrows made out of pointed bamboo. It seems to feed only 

 on the juices of flowers ; for I never found any thing besides juices in their 

 stomachs. It lives in flocks. 



"The native name near Manado is 'Tintis kitjil;' that means 'the 



