39 



& 



>LUE MOUNTAIN f^ORY. 



Psittacus Swainsonii, Russ. 



Synonyms: Tryehoglossus Sivainsonii, Psittacus Novce Hollandice 



(hcematodus var. y), Psittacus hcematodus, Psittacus eycmog aster, 



TricJwglossus hcematodus, Trichoglossus multicolor, Trichoglossus 



Nova? Hollandice, etc. German: Der Lori Von den Blauen Bergen. 



French: La perleche a tete bleue, Le Yail. 



"TTTITH the exception of the Paradise Parrakeet, which we consider 



V V to be a very near relation of the species under consideration, 

 we know of no bird that has given rise to so much embittered con- 

 troversy between amateurs, and to so much divergence of opinion among 

 authors, as the beautiful bird that has been erroneously named the 

 Blue Mountain Lory, seeing that it is an inhabitant of the vast plains 

 of the interior of New South Wales, and not at all a native of the hills 

 to the westward of Sydney, upon which the early settlers, looking at 

 them from a distance of many miles, bestowed the name of the Blue 

 Mountain range. 



The Blue Mountain Lory is one of the handsomest, not only of the 

 Australian Parrots, but takes foremost place among the most gorgeously 

 apparelled members of the family that are to be met with in any part 

 of the world. It is about the same length as the Cockatiel, namely, 

 eleven or twelve inches, but is of stouter build than that graceful bird, 

 and has a shorter tail. 



The head and throat are purplish blue, the nape of the neck greenish 

 yellow, the breast bright red, the belly blue, and all the rest of the 

 body brilliant green, the under surface of the central tail feathers is 

 yellow, the beak reddish orange, and the feet lead colour. 



The female cannot with any certainty be distinguished from her mate, 

 but is usually a very little smaller, though not invariably so. 



The feathers of the head and neck are long and very narrow, and 



