366 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



[Parrots, 



with dark green ; bill horn-colour at the base, pass- 

 ing into pale yellow at the tip; feet flesh-colour. 

 The female is less brilliant than the male, with 

 more obscure markings, and the spots on the throat 

 less defined. Total length seven inches and a half. 

 (Gould, ' Birds of Australia.') 



1621. — The Blue-Mountain Lorikeet 

 {Triclioglossus hcematodus). Blue-mountain Parrot. 

 The Lorikeets (Trichoglossi) are natives of Austra- 

 lia, and are principally characterized by the tongue 

 being furnished at its apex with a pencil or brush 

 of strong hairs, rendering it an efficient agent in 

 procuring food. This consists of the nectar of 

 various species of Eucalypti, some of which are al- 

 ways in flower, thus furnishing the flocks with an 

 abundant supply; were it not for this succession of 

 blooms, the lorikeets would be straitened for food. 

 Among the pendent blossoms of these trees may the 

 lorikeets be observed clinging in every attitude, and 

 busily engaged in absorbing with their pencil-tufted 

 tongues (and so licking up) the honey from the 

 cups of the newly-expanded blossoms which they 

 have compressed and nibbled with their beaks. To 

 such an excess, says Mr. Gould, do these birds satiate 

 themselves with their liquid food, that on suspending 

 a fresh-shot specimen by the toes, a large tea-spoon- 

 ful, at least, of honey will flow from the mouth ; and 

 he adds, " When we know this to be the natural food 

 of this group, how can it be expected that the species 

 can exist in captivity upon the hard seed or farina- 

 ceous diet so generallygiven as a substitute ?" And we 

 agree with him in thinking that if honey or liquid sac- 

 charine matter were afforded them, they might be 

 kept in our cages and aviaries ; and when it is consi- 

 dered that they are among the most elegant, and 

 beautiful of their race, that it is desirable for those 

 who have the opportunity of making a series of trials. 



According to Mr. "Caley, the Blue-mountain 

 Lorikeet, or Blue-mountain Parrot (War'rin of the 

 natives), is remarkable for its docility and attach- 

 ment to some people, whilst it is a perfect scold to 

 others who may have teased or offended it. " Flocks 

 of these birds," says this accurate observer, " may be 

 seen in the Eucalypti trees, when in flower, in dif- 

 ferent parts of the country, but in the greatest num- 

 ber near their breeding-places. It does not eat 

 any kind of grain, even when in a domesticated state. 

 It is much subject to fits, which generally prove 

 fatal ; and it is rare to find an individual kept alive 

 above a couple of years. One that I kept, on being 

 shown a figure of a coloured plant, used to put its 

 tongue to the flowers, as if with the intent of suck- 

 ing them ; and I have seen it make the same attempt 

 with a piece of cotton furniture. The flesh of this 

 bird is very good eating." Again, speaking of the 

 Crimson fronted Parrakeet, Coolich of the natives 

 (Triclioglossus concinnus), Mr. Caley states that it 

 may be observed in large flocks sucking the 

 Eucalypti flowers. He adds that, like the Blue- 

 mountain Parrot, it is subject to fits which generally 

 prove fatal, that it is seldom kept alive, and that its 

 breath or some part about its head emits a very 

 sweet odour. The natives told him that this species 

 breeds in the hollow boughs of trees, scraping out 

 the decayed mould, and making its nest of it. 

 The eggs, he informs us, are green, without spots, 

 and the number of young two. Of the small 

 Parrakeet, Jerryang of the natives (Triclioglossus 

 pusillus), he observes that this, like the Coolich, is 

 seen in very large flocks in the Eucalypti trees when 

 in blossom. "The natives," says he, " now and then 

 bring in the young ones, but they seldom live long. 

 I had three young ones for some time, which used 

 to huddle together and give out a very pleasing 

 note. They all died strongly convulsed, and nearly 

 at the same time ; the limbs were as stiff the mo- 

 ment life was extinct as if the body had become 

 cold. The natives tell me that it builds in the 

 hollow limbs of trees, making no other nest than of 

 the decayed wood. It has four young ones. The 

 eggs are white, and without spot." 



The Blue-mountain Lorikeet is generally green ; 

 the head, the middle of the body, and bands on the' 

 sides being azure blue ; and the throat, breast, and 

 flanks orange crimson. 



1622. — The Purple-capped Lory. 

 ( Fjiv'ms Dondcdla). The Lories are natives of the 

 A oluccas, New Guinea, and other Eastern islands, 

 are characterized by a weak bill, and a brush- 

 ed tongue, as in Triclioglossus. It is however 

 tfti] whether nectar constitutes their sole food, 

 exist in captivity upon sopped bread and 

 learing to be in health and vigour. Pro- 

 fruits form part of their natural diet. 

 '■■ f <f these birds is extremely rich and 

 tail is broad and rounded ; the win^s 

 ■■-■>'■ ''longated and weak. In dis- 

 ■ gentle and docile, and easily 

 !• or sentences. Among the 

 • ' ' "splendid group is this Purple- 

 1 an intense scarlet, with a 



yellow collar on the upper part of the breast : the 

 top of the head is deep purple passing on the occiput 

 into violet ; the upper surface of the wings is green, 

 becoming violet blue at the bend and margin ; under 

 surface of the wings violet blue, thighs azure, bill 

 orange yellow. Length nearly twelve inches. 



1623. — The Great Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. 

 (Plyctolophus gahritus, Vigors and Horsfield). 

 Cacatua galerita, Vieillot ; Crested Cockatoo, White. 



In the Cockatoos the bill is strong, short, broad, 

 with the upper mandible much curved ; the head is 

 ornamented with a folding crest ; base of the under 

 mandible frequently concealed by feathers. Wings 

 long, tail even. Locality, Australia and the Indian 

 Islands. These birds inhabit the woods, feeding on 

 fruits and breeding in hollow trees; their cry is 

 harsh, loud, and disagreeable, but they are readily 

 tamed, and though not celebrated for their powers 

 of imitation, are engaging from their gentleness 

 and affectionate disposition. Their plumage is 

 very powdery. They live long in captivity. An 

 authenticated instance some time since came within 

 our knowledge of a great sulphur-crested Cockatoo 

 which attained to the age of 120 years. Mr. Gould, 

 who, in his ' Birds of Australia,' has given a magnifi- 

 cent figure of the Cacatua galerita of Vieillot,observes 

 that if we regard the white cockatoo of Van Diemen's 

 Land and that of New Guinea as mere varieties of 

 each other, this species has a more extensive range 

 than most other birds. It is an inhabitant of all the 

 Australian Colonies, both on the southern and 

 northern coasts, but has not yet been seen on the 

 western. " On a close examination of the speci- 

 mens from the three countries above mentioned, a 

 decided difference is observable in the structure, of 

 the bill, or rather perhaps a modification of the organ 

 for the peculiar kind of food afforded by the respec- 

 tive countries. The Van Diemen's Land bird is the 

 largest in every respect, and has the bill, particularly 

 the upper mandible, less abruptly curved ; the bill of 

 the New Guinea bird is much rounder, and is in 

 fact fitted to perform a totally different office from 

 that of the white cockatoo of Van Diemen's Land, 

 which I have ascertained by dissection feeds princi- 

 pally on the small bulbs of the terrestrial orchidaceae, 

 for procuring which its lengthened upper mandible 

 is admirably adapted, while it is more than pro- 

 bable that no food of this kind is to be obtained by 

 the New Guinea bird, the structure of whose bill 

 indicates that hard seeds and nuts constitute the 

 principal part of its diet. The crops and stomachs 

 of those killed in Van Diemen's Land were very 

 muscular, and contained seeds, grain, native bread 

 (a species of fungus), small tuberose and bulbous 

 roots, and in most instances large stones. 



"As may be readily imagined, this bird is not 

 upon favourable terms with the agriculturist, upon 

 whose fields of newly sown grain and ripening 

 maize it commits the greatest devastation ; it is 

 consequently hunted and shot down wherever it is 

 found, a circumstance which tends much to lessen 

 its numbers. It is still however very abundant, 

 moving about in flocks varying from a hundred to a 

 thousand in number, and evinces a decided prefer- 

 ence to the open plains and cleared lands, rather than 

 to the dense brushes near the coast. Except when 

 feeding or reposing on the trees after a repast, the 

 presence of a flock, if not seen, is certain to be in- 

 dicated by their horrid screaming notes, the dis- 

 cordance of which may be slightly conceived by 

 those who have heard the peculiarly loud, piercing, 

 grating scream of the bird in captivity, always re- 

 membering the immense increase of the din occa- 

 sioned by the large number of the birds uttering 

 their disagreeable notes at the same moment ; still 

 I ever considered this annoyance amply compensated 

 for by their sprightly actions and the life their 

 snowy forms imparted to the dense and never- 

 varying green of the Australian forest ; a feeling 

 participated in by Sir Thomas Mitchell, who says 

 that amidst the umbrageous foliage forming dense 

 masses of shade the white cockatoos sported like 

 spirits of light." 



This bird builds in hollow trees and the crevices 

 of rocks; the eggs are two, and of a white colour. 

 The aborigines of New South Wales term this 

 bird Car'away and Cur'riang ; the Papuans of New 

 Guinea, Mangarape. 



General plumage white ; occipital crest sulphur- 

 yellow; ear coverts, under surface of wings, and 

 basal portion of the inner webs of the tail-feathers, 

 very pale sulphur-yellow. Length about eighteen 

 inches. 



1624. — The Long-billed Parrot. 



{Nestor productiis, Gould). The generic character 

 of this singular bird consists chiefly in the elonga- 

 tion of the upper mandible of the beak, which is 

 formed for digging in the earth ; the wings are long 

 and ample, the tail moderate, with the shafts of each 

 feather projecting beyond the webs. The species is 

 a native of Norfolk Island and the most eastern 



portions of New South Wales. " Like all the other 

 members of this extensive family," says Mr.Gould, in 

 his splendid work on the ' Birds of Australia,' speak- 

 ing of this species, " it bears captivity remarkably 

 well, readily becoming cheerful and contented ; at 

 least such is the case with an individual in the 

 possession of Sir J. P. Millbank, Bart. ; and as might 

 have been reasonably expected, the variation in the 

 form of the mandibles, which renders these birds so 

 conspicuous, is accompanied by a marked difference 

 in the nature of their food, the powerful bills of the 

 other members of the family enabling them to feed 

 upon hard seeds and stony fruits, while, from the 

 elongated form of this organ in the present birds, 

 this power is denied to them, and w r e find that they 

 give a decided preference to the leaves of succulent 

 plants and the softer kinds of fruit. Sir J. P. Mill- 

 bank informed me that the bird in his possession 

 evinced a strong partiality to the leaves of the 

 common lettuce and other soft vegetables, and 

 that it was also very fond of the juice of fruits, 

 of cream, and butter. Its voice was hoarse and 

 inharmonious, frequently resembling the barking 

 of a dog ; and in Yates's ' New Zealand' we are in- 

 formed that the Nestor hypopolius, known there by 

 the name of Kaka, is ' capable of learning to imitate 



the human voice to a remarkable degree 



The cry of this bird when ranging at large in the 

 woods is harsh and disagreeable in the extreme.' 

 Although I cannot assert it for a certainty, I have 

 every reason to believe that both these birds fre- 

 quently descend to the ground and grub up with 

 their lengthened bills the bulbous and other roots 

 which form a portion of their food, particularly as I 

 have found earth still adhering to the mandibles of 

 the specimens I have examined ; besides which, I 

 have been informed by Captain Shirt that a parrot 

 inhabiting Australia, having a similar bill, but be- 

 longing to another group, is frequently in the habit 

 of so doing. General colour of the upper surface 

 brown ; beak elongated ; head and back of the neck 

 tinged with gvey ; the feathers of these parts, as well 

 as of the back, margined with a deeper tint; rump, 

 belly, and under tail-coverts, deep red; cheeks, 

 throat, and chest yellow, the former tinged with red ; 

 shoulders on their inner surface yellow, tinged with 

 rufous olive ; tail feathers banded at the base with 

 orange-yellow and brown, the inner web of the quill- 

 feathers at the base beneath with dusky red and 

 brown; bill brown; feet blackish brown. Total 

 length fifteen inches." (Gould, ' Birds of Australia.') 



1625. — The Taranta Psittacule. 

 (Psittaada Taranta). The Psittacules and Love- 

 Birds (Psittacula and Agapornis) form a group of 

 most beautiful little parrakeets, the most diminutive 

 of their race, with short rounded tails. They are 

 natives of the torrid zone. The common love-bird 

 from Guinea is well known, being often kept in cages 

 in pairs ; it is very interesting to witness the attention 

 which a pair of these birds pay to each other, caress- 

 ing each other, arranging each other's plumage, and 

 by numberless little acts of kindness evidencing 

 their mutual attachment. They usually sleep sus- 

 pended with the head downwards, clinging by one 

 foot alone. The colour of the love-bird (agapornis 

 pullaria) is green, the outer webs of the quill-feathers 

 being blue, and the tail banded with a bar of lilac. 



The Taranta Psittacule is a native of Abyssinia, 

 and was noticed by Salt about the Pass of Taranta, 

 whence it takes its name. The bill is crimson ; the 

 forehead scarlet ; the plumage green, lighter be- 

 neath ; down the centre of the wing a broad black 

 patch glossed with blue ; quills dusky, fringed with 

 green ; two centre tail-feathers tipped with black, 

 the rest crossed near the tip with the same. 



Family CERTHLATME (CREEPERS), 



Cuvier places the creepers (les Grimperaux) among 

 the Tenuirostral section of the Passerine order, as 

 does also the Prince of Canino, while Mr. Vigors 

 and Mr. Swainson refers this family to the Scansores; 

 the former ornithologist regarding it as a link 

 between the woodpeckers (Picidso) and the Tenuiros- 

 tral group, viz., honey-suckers, honey-eaters, sun- 

 birds, humming-birds, &c. 



The creepers are birds structurally adapted by- 

 means of their large feet and strong claws for climbi ng 

 about the trunks of trees, or the precipitous face of 

 rocks, or steep banks, in quest of insect food : in 

 general the beak is elongated, but in some it is mode- 

 rate and strong; the toes are not zygodactyle. A 

 reference to our pictorial specimens will at once lead 

 us to an appreciation of the characters of the family. 



1626, 1627.— The Creeper. 



(Certhia familiaris). Common Creeper, Tree- 

 creeper, Tree-climber ; probably the KkpQiog of Aris- 

 totle ; le Grimpereau of the French ; Picchio pic- 

 colo, Pichietto, and Rampichino of the Italisas ; 

 Baumlaufer, Kleinere Grau-specht, and Kleinste 

 Baurn-hacker of the Germans; Krypare of the ' Fauna 

 Suecica ;' and y Grepianog of the ancient British. 



