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9. LORIUS CHLOROCERCUS. 



(GOULD'S LORY.) 

 [Plate XXIL] 



Domioella chlorocerca, Pinsch, Papag. ii. p. 767 (1868) ; Rchnw. Vogelbild. t. xxxi. 



fig. 8 (1878-83). 

 Lorins chloronotus, Bonaparte, Naumarmia, 1856, Consp. Psitt. list opposite p. 352, 



n. 293. 

 Lorius clilorocercus, Gould, P. Z. S. 1856, p. 137 ; Sclater, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 183, pi. rvi. ; 



Layard, Ibis, 1879, p. 365 ; Salvadori, Orn. Pap. e Mol. i. p. 239 (1880) ; id. Cat. of 



Birds in Brit. Mus. xx. p. 38. 



Pileum black ; a yellow band across tbe crop-region ; quills with the base of the inner web red ; apical 

 half of the upper surface of the tail green. 



Habitat. Solomon Islands. 



This species was discovered by Macgillivray in tbe island of San Cristoval (of tbe Solomon 

 group) during tbe voyage of H.M.S. ' Herald.' It was first described and named by our old 

 friend Jobn Gould, F.R.S., in 1856, and tbe type is now in tbe British Museum and has 

 been depicted by our artist. 



Mr. E. L. Layard, in a letter from Noumea (January 20, 1879), says of a pair of birds 

 of tbis species obtained by him, that they were " supposed to be male and female, and were 

 quite young birds, altbougb fully fledged." Mr. James Marler (mate of a vessel plying to 

 the Solomon Islands) states they were procured by tbe natives of Savai from a hole in a tree, 

 both from tbe same nest. The one supposed to be tbe male, and the more masterful, 

 uttered a sound like " Joey," piped a long shrill whistle, with numerous flute-like notes and 

 sounds as of a hearty kiss. Tbe other did not say Joey, and was generally more silent. 



" Por a long time we apprehended tbey would starve rather than go to the ground for 

 their food ; so I hit on the device of hanging it to a wire swinging loose in the cage. To 

 this tbey instantly resorted, holding it steady with one foot, and tearing it with their bills. 

 . . . They hang and feed in any position, holding sometimes by one foot and twisting round 

 in every direction. Often in their play or battles tbey will simultaneously grasp claws and 

 struggle to upset each other. 



" The male, though allowing himself to be handled by my son, showed from the first an 

 unbounded antipathy to a servant-girl, attacking her with bill and claws, accompanied by 

 piercing cries, whenever she approaches the cage." 



L. clilorocercus is very like the species last described (JO. domioella), but is easily 



K 



