53 



SLUE-BREASTED IgORY. 



Psittacus Indicus. 



Synonyms: Psittacus coccineus, Lth., Shw., Ess.; P. histrio, Mll.; 



Eos indica, Gm., Trans. Z. S.; Lorius coccineus, Schlg.; 



Domicella coccinea, Fnsch.; Psittaca indica coccinea, Bess. 



French: Perruche Lori a diademe bleue. German: Der Blaubrilstige 



Breitschwanzlori, Ess. 



~\"TT~HY this beautiful species should have been selected as the 



V V recipient of the specific name Indicus, or Indica, is one of those 

 mysteries connected with the science of ornithology it is impossible to 

 understand^ for it is a native of the Moluccas; and moreover the same 

 specific appellation had already been bestowed on the Ceylonese Hanging 

 Parrakeet, by Kuhl. 



The general colour is carmine, but there are several blue lines round 

 the eyes, and on the sides of the neck; the breast is blue, and the 

 saddle a somewhat darker shade of the same colour; the wings are 

 red, with black and violet markings, especially on the shoulders; the 

 tail is bright red, marked and spotted with deep purple and blue on 

 the upper side, on the lower it is altogether red; and the vent is 

 blue. 



There is very little difference in the outward appearance of the sexes; 

 seen together, the female is perhaps a very little the smaller of the 

 two, and the colours of her plumage a trifle fainter; but these differences 

 are not sufficiently marked to enable one to tell whether a given specimen 

 belongs to the male, or to the female gender. The male is usually the 

 more demonstrative and noisy, and also learns to repeat words and 

 short phrases more distinctly than his mate; which, however, is not 

 greatly deficient in these respects, and here again the intellectual 

 differences are insufficient to enable one to form a decided opinion. 



A pair, or perhaps, to speak more correctly, a couple, of these beautiful 



