Birds of Celebes: Psittacidae. 
137 
above with a red patch thereon. P. verticalis Sharpe (Ibis 1894, 248, pi. VI), 
discovered by Everett in the Sooloo Islands, and P. montanus Grant (Ibis 
1895, 466), discovered recently by Whitehead in the mountains of Luzon, are 
allies of P. flavicans. We take P. platurus for a highly-differentiated form of 
P. luconensis of Luzon, and P. flavicans as an offshoot of the other Philippine 
form represented by P. discurus. The young birds are all green, the adult P. 
luconensis is also all green, and it is therefore, we believe, of a more ancestral 
character than the adult male P. platurus. 
The young of this species resemble the young of flavicans in coloration, 
but they may be readily distinguished by certain differences between the two 
forms pointed out by Sclater (el), Briiggemann (5) and W. Blasius (12)-. 
Prioniturus platurus 
Under tail- coverts: Elongated; in adult as long as the rectrices, 
in young a httle shorter. 
Cere round nostrils: Naked 
Prioniturus flavicans 
Comparatively short. 
Feathered. 
Under hill: . . 
Colour of hill: . 
With a strong indentation on either side 
near the end, the cutting edge at the end 
projecting upwards. 
Horn-greyish blue 
The cutting edge much 
more even. 
Horn-white. (Platen). 
Prof. W. Blasius adds that P. platurus has a shorter but stouter upper bill, 
as well as its being of a different colour, but this statement we are unable to 
confirm from the specimens in the Dresden Museum, in which the upper man- 
dible varies much in size. P. platurus is altogether rather the smaller bird. 
The Racket-tail-feathers of Prioniturus, Merops, etc. present facts of interest 
to students of evolution, and they will be found discussed in our Introduction. 
(See figures thereof plates V, VI and VIII.) 
According to Meyer P. platurus is solely an inhabitant of the low-lands 
and P. flavicans of the mountains of Celebes; but this view must be modified 
since Dr. Platen obtained both species in Rurukan at over 3000' (Coll. Nehrk.) 
and the Drs. Sarasin both at Tomohon, P. platurus in April, P. flavicans at the 
end of May. They may, however, shift their ranges at different seasons. 
“The bird flies much during the night, and can often be heard crying on 
the wing over one’s head. It feeds in the night on the fruits of gardens and 
fields, and is fond of Indian corn, rice, and fruits like Tansa’ {Lansium domesticum 
Jack.), ‘pakawa’(?), etc. During the daytime it is seldom to be met with in the 
plantations, but is to be seen flying very high and crying loud, seldom alone. 
It makes its nest in hollow trees. On trees it does not move much, but sits 
quietly. If one is shot down from a group the others do not stir, but lie, 
concealed by their green plumage, between the leaves, just as I have noticed 
in the case of other Parrots. The natives of the Minahassa assert that, if the 
‘ kulli-kulli’ is taken by surprise in the rice-fields, it becomes confused, or terrified, 
falls down, and then can easily be caught” (Meyer 7, and in Gould’s Bds. of 
Meyer & Wigleswortli, Birds of Celebes (Oct. 18th, 1897). Jg 
