143 



3. GLOSSOPSITTACUS P R P H Y R C E P H A L US. 



(DIETRICHSEN'S LORY.) 

 [Plate XL VI. Fig. 1.] 



Psittacus purpureas, Dietriehsen (nee Mull., Gra., Less.), Philos. Mag. xi. p. 3S7 (1832). 



Psittacula florentis, Bourj. Perr. pi. 84 (1837-38). 



Nanodes porphyrocephalus, Schleg. Mus. P.-B., Psittaci, p. 115 (1864). 



Trichoglosms porphyrocephalus, Dietriehsen, Trans. Linn. Soc. xvii. (part 4) p. 553 



(1837) ; Gould, Birds of Austr. v. pi. 53 (1840) ; Einsch, Papag. ii. p. 862 (1868) ; 



Rchuw. Vogelbild. t. xxx. fig. 1 (1883). 

 Trichoglossus purpureus, Eraser, P. Z. S. 1839, p. 113. 

 Trichoglosms (Glossopsitta) porphyrocephalus, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. ii. 



p. 195 (1878). 

 Glossopsitta porphyrocephala, Bonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 157. 

 Glossopsittacus porphyrocephalus, Salvadori, Cat. of Birds in Brit. Mus. xx. p. 70 (1891). 



Underparts with no shaft-streaks; hind neck olive; cheeks yellowish green; ear-coverts yellow mixed 

 with red, like the forehead. 



Habitat. West and South Australia. 



This species was introduced to the attention of naturalists at a meeting of the Liunean 

 Society (held in March 1832) by Mr. Dietriehsen. 



Mr. Gould tells us that he found it abundant in South Australia and the gum-forests of 

 Swan River, and that it was the only species met with by him in Western Australia. Most of 

 the specimens he collected were shot, during the months of June and July, in the neighbour- 

 hood of Adelaide, and some of them in the town itself. He found them all to be so remarkably 

 tame that any number of shots could be fired amongst them without causing the slightest 

 alarm to any but those actually wounded. Although gregarious they appear always to mate 

 in pairs, which keep together. The whole of one species frequently leave a tree simul- 

 taneously, " rushing off with amazing quickness in search of other trees laden with newly 

 expanded flowers, among which they dash, and commence feeding with the utmost eagerness, 

 clinging and creeping among the branches in every possible attitude." 



The general colour above is green, olive in the interscapular region. The wing-coverts 

 and rump are grass-green. The vertex is deep purple. The forehead, lores, and ear-coverts 

 yellow mingled with red, the lores being especially red. The back of the head and neck are 

 yellowish green. The throat, breast, and middle of the abdomen are bluish, passing into 

 golden green on the flanks. 



