CHARMOSYNA JOSEPHIN^E. 
Josephina Parrakeet. 
Trichoglossus josephince, Finsch, Atti R. Accad. Torino, 1872, p. 42, tav. 7. — Meyer, J. f. O. 1874, p. 56. 
The Josephina Parrakeet was first described by Dr, Otto Finscl), from a specimen preserved in the 
collection of Count Turati at Milan. By tlie latter gentleman it was obtained from M. Laurent de 
Greaux, a natural-history dealer in Marseilles, having been originally purchased by him in London, along 
with two specimens of the rare Psittacula gulielmi III. Dr. Finsch rightly concluded that the habitat 
of this beautiful species would prove to be the island of ISew Guinea ; for he found in the Bremen Museum 
some native head-dresses of plumes composed of the tail-feathers of tliis Parrakeet and of C. papuensis, 
which Von Rosenberg assured him were worn by the inliabitants in the interior ol the island. None 
of the Duteh collectors managed to obtain specimens for the Leiden Museum ; and it is to Dr. Meyer that 
we are indebted for our authentic information respecting it. He obtained sjiechnens during his last voyage, 
and he was thereby enabled to determine that the species had been founded by Dr. Finsch on a female bird ; 
Dr. Meyer was therefore the first to discover the male. I am indebted to him not only for the loan of 
the specimens which I now figure, but also for the following note on the species : — “ I found this bird on 
my voyage to New Guinea in June 1873, on the west coast of Geelvink Bay, wliere it was seen near the 
sea-shore in large flocks ; but in no other spot, during my residence in the island, did I meet with it. The 
nearly allied C. papuensis has, up to the present, only been found far in the mountainous districts of New 
Guinea ; and perhaps this smaller species represents it in the lowlands. Young birds have the breast 
undulated with blackish and green ; and in some females the black of the belly is strongly mixed with olive 
green. In life the bill, feet, and irides are deep orange-red, the claws and the naked part round the eye 
greyish black. In the stomach I only found juice of plants.” 
Dr. Finsch thus describes the female : — 
“ Head, neck, and under surface of body fine crimson-red ; an occipital spot obscure bluish lilac, 
posteriorly surrounded with a black band. Back and wings green. Belly and thighs black, with a violet 
lustre. Rump and flanks yellow. Two centre tail-feathers red ; the rest green, with the inner webs red, 
the tips yellow, preceded by an obscure subterminal mark of bluish.” 
The male differs from the female in being red on the rump, where the latter is yellow. 
I have figured a male and female on the accompanying Plate, of about the natural size. In general size 
this species is rather smaller than C. papuensis, and has a coarser and stronger hill, while the long tail- 
feathers are stiffer and less flexible. 
