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GLOSSOPSITTACUS. 



LONG-QUILLED LOEIES. 



Glossopsittacus, Sundev. Meth. nat. Av. disp. Tent. p. 71 (1872). 



Type of the genus : G. concinnus. 



Generic characters. — Tail-feathers twelve ; point of maxilla long, but not thin ; tail-feathers gradually 

 tapering to a point, more or less acute ; predominant colour underneath, as -well as above, green ; 

 tail-feathers green, with no yellow or red at the tip ; tail moderate, the two middle feathers not 

 very long; the first four or five primaries not distinctly attenuated towards the tips; first primary 

 e qual to, or a little longer than, the second and the third ; bill black j dimensions rather small. 

 (Cf. Salvadori, Cat. of Birds in Brit. Mus. /. c.) 



Range. West and South Australia and Tasmania and South-eastern New Guinea. 



This genus is readily distinguishable from the two preceding genera by the black bill, the 

 elongated first primary, and the smaller dimensions. 



This beautiful and interesting genus is, with the exception of one species, confined to 

 Australia and Tasmania — the exceptional form being found in, and apparently confined to, 

 New Guinea. Two species descend into Tasmania, and thus they extend into the most 

 southern habitat of the whole family, which they share with only one other species, Triclio- 

 glossus novcB-lwllandics. So far as we know, this genus has not yet been found in any of the 

 islands about New Guinea. 



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