CYCLOPSITTA MACCOYI, Gould, 
M‘Coy’s Perroquet. 
Cyclopsitta Maccoyi, Gould, P. Z.S. 1875, p. 314 (April). 
Leadbeateri, M‘Coy, Ann. N. H. (4) xvi. p. 54 (July 1875). 
Australia now possesses two species of Cyclopsitta, a genus unknown to inhabit the continent until a few 
years ago, when the C. Coxeni was discovered. New Guinea has three species, the Am Islands and the 
Philippines two each, while C. Blijtlii is confined to the island of Mysol. The distribution of this little 
genus is therefore very remarkable, and its absence from Celebes and the Halmahera group of islands 
is not what we should have expected. 
I am indebted to Mr. Waller, of Brisbane, for the loan of the sjieclmens from which my original 
description was taken ; and I felt great pleasure in adopting the suggestion of that gentleman that I should 
confer upon the species the name of Professor M‘Coy, to whom so much of the progress of science in the 
Australian colonies is due. Unfortunately this little bird is already burdened with a synonym ; for nearly at 
the same time that I described it, Professor M‘Coy himself sent a description of the species, proposing for 
it the name of C. Leadbeateri, He gives the characters as follows : — “ The general size, shape, and 
colouring is nearly like that of C. Coxeni ; but it is somewhat smaller, and has in both sexes an oblong 
patch of red on the forehead, just over the cere. It differs also in habitat, frequenting the scrubs more 
than C. Coxeni does. It seems to be rather rare at Cardwell, where the specimens described were collected 
by Mr. Broadbent.” 
Male. — General colour green, the face having all the fantastic colours of the Harlequin ; on the forehead 
a band of bright scarlet, surrounded by cobalt, a shade of the same colour encircling the latter, narrow 
above, broader below ; on the cheeks, from the base of the bill to the tips of the ear-coverts, a band of 
scarlet like that on the forehead ; and below this is an obscure baud of purplish blue, gradually faditjg off 
into the green of the neck ; flank-feathers tipped with bright lemon-yellow; quills externally blue, the inner 
secondaries green, with the usual tiny patch of scarlet adjoining the back ; tail green ; under wing-coverts 
green, the outer ones washed with blue ; quills blackish below, diagonally crossed near the base with a 
yellow band. Total length 5i inches ; wing 3|, tail 1|, tarsus |. 
Female. — Differs from the male in wanting the scarlet cheeks ; in other respects similar. 
All the members of this little genus roam about in flocks, but, perched among the leaves and flowers of 
the Eucalypti, are excessively silent and seldom betray their presence until the whole company simultane- 
ously burst forth into the open air and wing their way to other trees. 
The figures in the Plate are of the size of life. 
