P ALiEORNIS CALTHROPiE. 
(LAYARD’S PAERAKEET.) 
(Peculiar to Ceylon.) 
Palceornis calthropae (Layard), Blyth, J. A. S. B. 1849, xviii. p. 800; id. Cat. B. Mus. 
A. S. B. p. 340 (1849) ; Kelaart, Prodromus, Cat. p. 127 (1852) ; Layard, Ann. & Mag. 
Nat. Hist. 1854, xiii. p. 263; Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p. 263; Gray, List 
Psittacidse Brit. Mus. p. 22 (1859) ; Schlegel, Mus. P.-B. Psittaci, p. 83 (1862) ; Finsch, 
Papageien, p. 53 (1868); Holdsworth, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 426; Layard, P. Z. S. 15 /o, 
p. 204*; Legge, Ibis, 1874, p. 14; Hume, Str. Feath. 18/4, p. 15; Gould, B. of Asia, 
pt. xxvi. (1874); Legge, Str. Feath. 18/5, p. 200; Walden, Ibis, 18/4, p. 28S. 
Palceornis cathrapce, Blyth, Ibis, 1867, p. 294. 
Palceornis girronieri , J. & E. Verr. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1853, p. 195. 
Psittacus viridicollis, Cassin, Pr. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 373. 
Layard’ s Purple-headed Parralceet (Kelaart) ; The Ceylon ParraJceet, The Hill-Parrot,, 
Europeans in Ceylon. 
Alloo-girawa, Sinhalese, Central Province. 
ad sunra erisescens flavido adumbratus, capite purius pallide purpurascenti-griseo^f route, Ions, regione parotica et 
Ihcie antica yiridibus : regione parotica posticu pileo concolori, genis posticis mgns ad tasciam brevern cemcalem 
nkram productis s collo postieo bote smaragdineo tasciam collarem conspicuam lormante : ala saturate rank reim- 
Xsinus nigris, tectricibus alarum mterioribus flavicanti-v.rid.bus : dorse postico, uropygio et supracaudalibus 
p d“ rpui-eis bis vix flavido lavatis : cauda sordid// purpurea, rectr.cibus flavo termmatis, extenonbus quoque 
m tti s sordi de viridi bus , ext is purpureis : eorporc subtus lretb viridi, gutture .mo etpnepectore smaragdineo lavatis: 
subcaudi.libus et cauda subtus flavis, illis viridi lavatis: subalanbus smaragdmeis, majonbus et lemigibus mfia 
cinerascentibus : maxilla scarlatina, mandibula saturate rubra, apicaliter flava : pedibus fuscescenti-\nic lbus . 
iride flavicanti-alba. 
5 ad. mari similis, sed mandibula nigra distinguenda. 
Adult male and female. Length to front of cere 10'6 to ll'O inches ; culmen 1-05 ; total length of the larger about 
12-l ; wing 5-4 to 5-6 ; tail 5'8 ; tarsus 0-6 ; outer anterior toe and claw 0'98 to 1-0 ; greatest height of upper 
mandible 047. 
Male. Iris yellow-white, or white, or greenish white, with a bluish-grey outer circle ; cere dusky greenish ; bill, uppei 
mandible coral-red, yellowish at tip, lower dusky red ; legs and feet dusky greenish, plumbeous green, or plumbeous. 
Head, nape, and cheeks faded leaden blue, changing into green on the region round the eye and at the base of the upper 
mandible, and blending into a broad black border below the cheeks, which extends across the throat (more so in 
some specimens than, in others) ; across the hind neck a broad emerald-green collar, blending into the green of 
the chest and under surface ; the hind neck below the collar, interscapulars, and scapulars greenish grey, vith a 
bluish cast, changing into pale greyish blue on the back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, the latter part tinged 
with green on the longer feathers. 
"Win g s green, the median secondary coverts pale at the extremities ; lesser coverts just above the forearm bluish ; 1st 
primary and inner webs of all the quills brown ; tail French bine, tipped deeply with yellow, the inner webs of all 
the lateral feathers washed, and the outer webs finely edged with green ; the tail beneath yellowish ; under tail- 
coverts yellowish, tipped and edged green; under wing-coverts green. 
* I am informed that the correct orthography of this Parrakeet’s specific name should be calthorjpce, as the family 
name was Calthorp, and not Calthrop. However, Layard says here, “ I have to thank Mr. Holdsworth for restoring 
the true reading of this name.” I therefore leave the matter as it is. 
