246 ON THE GENUS LOEICULUS, 



small Tintis/ ' Tintis ' being the name for Loriculus stigmatus ; ' kitjil ' is a 

 Malay word. 



^' In life the colour of the iris of the e^^e is yellow : Finsch (Pap. ii. 729) 

 says ^ red/ according to Rosenberg ; but this was not the case in the Manado 

 specimens. The colour of the feet is orange-yellow with a reddish tint : Finsch 

 says (/. c.), according to Rosenberg, ' red.' But there can be no mistake as to 

 my observations on the Manado specimens, because I made a note of the 

 correction in Finsch's work on the spot. Bill coral-red. 



'' In Manado, at one time, I had six specimens living with me ; but 

 they all died very soon. They were no doubt somewhere injured by the 

 arrow of the blowpipe ; but even those which appeared to be unwounded 

 could not be induced to take any food ; they remained shy and frightened. 

 How desirable would it be to have these lovely little creatures alive with us 

 in Europe ! but I am afraid the difficulty of bringing them over will for a 

 long time to come deprive us of this pleasure. 



" As to the size of Loriculus ewilis, Finsch (Pap. ii. p. 750) is of opinion 

 that ' it may be considered to be the smallest of all Parrots.' It will not be 

 easy to decide precisely whether it is as small as the different species of 

 Nasiterna or not, when only the skins can be compared. But I am fortunate 

 enough to be able to make a comparison of the skeletons. I have before me 

 a skeleton of Nasiterna geelvinJkiana^ Schlegel, from the island of Mysore, in 

 the north of Geelvink Bay, and two skeletons of Loriculus exilis from 

 Manado ; and the exact measurements prove the Nasiterna to be, in all parts 

 except the feet (which are of the same length), smaller than the Loriculus. 

 The differences are not important ones ; but they are present. 



" The measurements are given in millimetres ; and the millimetre is 

 divided, when necessary, into quarters ('25, '50, '75) or thirds ('33). 



" The facts are the following : — 



