82 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 1. 



China (and to the same little explored region most probably appertains 

 the P. derbianus, Eraser). The specimen of P. erytheogenys now 

 exhibited was imported from Singapore, but was doubtless originally 

 obtained from the Nicobar Islands by Malayan traders, no other 

 habitat being at present known for this fine species. The specimen 

 was a female, and is the only example of that sex whiim I have yefc 

 seen ; those formerly supposed to be females being evidently young 

 males. The female differs from the male in having a conspicuously 

 smaller bill, of a blackish colour, whereas the upper mandible of the male 

 is coral-red ; though perhaps old females may have the upper mandible 

 red as in the male, as commonly in P. javanicus, (Osbeck, v. Osbechii, 

 Latham, v. mystaceus, Shaw, &c, — ponticerianus, Gmelin, being a mis- 

 nomer), — and always, I think, in P. longicauda ; the head, nape, and 

 upper-parts, are also much more uniformly green ; and the red of the 

 cheeks is less intense. This handsome species is figured in the 9th part 

 of Mr. Gould's splendid ' Birds of Asia,' together with P. caniceps, nobis, 

 and P. barbatus, (Gmelin, v. Luciani, J. Verreaux). We have now 

 both male and female of P. erythrogenys, mounted from fresh specimens 

 in good plumage that had died in captivity.* 



December 2nd, 1857- E. Blyth:. 



* I 3ubjoin a synopsis of the species of this genus with their synonyms, ac- 

 cording to latest information. 



1. P. Alexandri ; Psittacus Alexandria L. : Ps. eupatria, L., et Psittaca 

 ginginiana, Brisson, — the female ; Psittacus guinneensis, Scopoli (nee guineensis v 

 Gmelin) ; Ps. Sonneratii, Gmelin ; Pal. nipalensis, Hodgson. Figured in Ed- 

 wards's Birds, pi. 292. Inhabits the hilly regions of all India proper, from the 

 sub-Himalayas to Ceylon inclusive ; with those of Asam, Sylhet, Arakan, and 

 the Tenasserim provinces, — except southward, as in Tavoy and Mergui. The 

 ordinary Parrakeet of the Punjab generally. The very young are brought in con- 

 siderable numbers to Calcutta, the earliest towards the close of February ; and 

 many old birds also, chiefly from the Midnapur jungles, as I am assured : and 

 according to Buchanan Hamilton ( 'MS S.J, flocks visit the neighbourhood of 

 Calcutta when the crop of rice is ripe. These doubtless come from the hilly coun- 

 try westward of the delta ; and, I suspect, return to their distant roosting-places 

 in the hills towards sunset (for the birds of this genus are apt to roam thus over 

 a vast extent of territory) . Though figured by Sonnerat from the Philippines, 

 it is probably only known there in a captive state. 



2. P. TOiiQUATUS ; Psittaca torquata, Brisson (Psittacus torquatus, Gmelin, 

 in part) : Psittacus steptrophorus, Desmarest ; Ps. cubicularis (?), Hasselquist j 

 Ps. docilis (/), Vieillot ; Pal. Layardi, Blyth (var.) : lutino variety. — 'Sulphur 

 Parrakeet,' Shaw. Inhabits the plains of all India, in great abundance ; also Cey- 

 lon, but is rarer eastward of the Bay of Bengal, though found (sparingly ?) as 



