PARROTS. 
13 
mandible is without the strong palatal ridge and 
roughness which are observed in the Hard-mouthed 
Parrots, as they liave been termed. 
The tongue of the Lories is very different to that 
of the generality of Parrots ; instead of being full 
and smooth at the point, it is slender, soft in its con- 
sistency, more or less covered with projecting papillae, 
and sometimes these papilla) form an absolute brush 
at its extremity. We find a somewhat similar tongue 
in those birds of a different order which sip or sup 
the nectar of flowers, and we may conclude that such 
in part is the use of this structure of tongue in the 
Lories. The honey of flowers and the sweet juices 
of pulpy fruits are the substances upon which the 
Lories feed ; and the countries which they inhabit 
abound greatly in such substances. 
The plumage, instead of being firm and scaly, as 
in the Parrots, is soft and downy, excepting on the 
wings and tlieir coverts, and is therefore less adapted 
to withstand exposure to rough usage either in the 
forest or the air. 
Ojie of the most beautiful species is tlie Papuan 
Lory {^Pyo'rhodes Fapuemis ) ; to great elegance of 
form this species unites a plumage of the richest 
description, the ground-colour of the body being of 
a deep but brilliant scarlet, relieved in parts witli 
deep azure-blue, yellow, and green. The tail, or at 
least the two narrow central feathers greatly exceed 
the rest of tlie body in length, as they measure up- 
wards of eleven inches, while the former does not 
exceed six ; the lateral feathers are regularly gra- 
duated, as in the other Lories. The bill is of an 
