15 



6. CHALCOPSITTACUS CHLOROPTERUS 



(THE GREEN-STREAKED LORY.) 

 [Plate IV. Fig. 2.] 



Chalcopsittacus chloropterus, T. Salvadori, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, ix. p. 15 (1876) ; 

 Finsch & Meyer, Zeitsch. f. ges. Om. 1886, p. 8 ; T. Salvadori, Mem. R. Ac. Sc. Tor. 

 series 2, xl. p. 171 (1889) ; id. Aggiunte alia Ornit. Pap. part i. p. 43 (1889) ; id. Cat. 

 of Birds in Brit. Mus. vol. xx. p. 17 (1891). 



Like Ch. schitillatus , but the under wing-coverts are green, sometimes partly red ; the shaft-streaks of 

 the feathers of the breast and neck green. 



Habitat. S.E. Xew Guinea and Fly River region. 



Besides the above characters, Ch. chloropterus is, according to Salvadori, to be dis- 

 tinguished by the dominant green colour being somewhat bluish, by the upper wing- 

 coverts distinctly approaching blue, and by the longitudinal stripes of the head and abdomen 

 being much less conspicuous. The bill and feet are black, and the eyes reddish yellow. 



The specific distinctness of Ch. scintlllatus and Ch. chloropterus appears to us to be 

 very doubtful. Count Salvadori after having founded the species, as above stated, sub- 

 sequently (in his magnificent work the ' Ornitologia della Papuasia e delle Molucche,' parte 

 prima, p. 275, 1880) treated it as being a mere variety. As, however, in his British Museum 

 Catalogue, he has given it as a distinct species, we, in deference to his atithority, have 

 similarly treated it. It was, however, also revived as a new species by MM. Pinsch and 

 Meyer (as above cited), who declared it to have the back more green and the head brown and 

 less black than has the other species, while the yellow of the inner Avebs of the quills forms 

 a less bright patch and one not so well-defined. 



Of the skins preserved in our National Collection, I found two which had exceptionally 

 bright shaft- streaks, especially on the breast and abdomen. Both of these specimens (Broad- 

 bent's and Macfarlane's) came from Port Moresby. The specimen from the Gould collection, 

 which also came from Port Moresby, differs from all the others iu the almost total absence 

 of yellow on the underside of the wing. 



