Birds of Celebes: Psittacidae. 
135 
15 mm longer than the others, the wehs of the projecting portion much narrowed, 
hut not formed into rackets. This specimen is an abnormal one, apparently; on the 
left side of the head, the lores, supercihary region, ear-coverts and cheeks are 
lilac, like the occiput, on the right side the same parts are parrot-green; some of 
the lilac colour also appears on the left side of the lower neck, hut not on the right 
(Manado — Nr. 6089). In a nearly adult specimen (Nr. 6088) a little hlac ajDpears 
on the right ear-coverts, but not on the left. 
Young (of 1®* year ?). Like female, but the two middle tail-feathers only projecting as much 
narrowed tips about 10 mm beyond the others; the blue terminal portion of the 
other tail-feathers less broad than in the adult; rump, upper tail-coverts and the 
basal part of the tail-feathers on the right side strongly washed with greyish blue 
(N. Celebes — Nr. 6090). Feet blue-grey (Platen 12 ). 
These 2 young dresses may perhaps point to a tendency in young birds to 
develop blue tints. 
Variation. We have paid much attention to the geographical variation of this species, with 
the usual result in such cases — that of discovering how little we really know about 
it. The bird certainly varies locally to a considerable extent, hut its division into 
subspecies should he left to the future and not undertaken by the uninitiated, among 
whom we include ourselves. In certain localities it is possible to point to some 
differences : 
1. Mainland of Celebes. 
In adult males the occipital patch is lilac or light grey-blue, the broad green 
cervical collar is strongly stained with orange on the mantle, the racket-feathers 
(differing greatly with age) are long-shafted and comparatively large-headed; lesser 
wing' coverts at the carpal bend washed with the lilac of the occiput. Measurements: 
wing 170— 192 mm 1); tarsus 19; tail (without the rackets) 80—100; culmen from 
cere 21 — 23. 
2. Peling and Banggai Islands. 
Adult males from these islands have the patch on the occiput and carpal bend 
of a somewhat brighter and clearer blue (less grey) than on the mainland of Celebes ; 
the lower half of the cervical collar is deep orange ; the rackets are small, the shafts 
thereof comparatively short, the size is small: wing in 5 adult males 167 — 176 mm. 
3. Eastern Peninsula, Celebes. 
Two adult males from here take a somewhat intermediate position between the 
Peling form and that of N. & S. Celebes, though on the whole being more like the 
latter. Their size is rather small: wing 166, 171 mm. 
4. Lembeh Island. 
Two adult males from this island, close to the coast of N. Celebes, have the 
occijDital patch and carpal bend somewhat brighter blue than in our mainland hu’ds, 
and the collar above the mantle 23urer orange. The orange part of the collar is less 
bright than in the Peling form, the hack is greener and less grey, the rackets are 
larger. Wing 176, 186 mm. 
This represents the extremes of size in 24 specimens. The females do not appear to be smaller 
than the males. 
