NASITERNA PIJSIO, ScJater, 
Solomoii-Islands Pygray Parrot. 
Nanferm pusio, Sclater, P. Z. S. 18(55, p. 620, pi. 35. — Finsch, Die Papag. i. p. 327 (1867). — Sclater, P. Z. S. 
1869, pp. 124, 126. — Gray, Hand-1. B. ii. p. 168. no. 8382 (1870). — Schlegel, N. T. D. iv. p. 5 (1871)» 
— Ramsay, Ti*. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. i. p. 67 (1876). — Rowley, Orn. Misc. p. 155, pi. xxi. (1876). — 
Finscli, tom. cit. p. 163 (1876). — Sclater, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 108. no. 38. — Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. 
Genov. X. p. 26. no. 14 (1877). 
Nasitena pygmcea solomonensis, Schl. N. T. D. iv. p. 7 (1877). 
For a great many years Nusiterna pygmcea remained the only representative of the genus known ; and the 
present kind w'as the second discovered — the forerunner, as it has ])roved, of no less than five others with 
which we are now acquainted. The original specimens were sent over in spirits hy Mr. Gerard Krefft to 
Dr. Sclater; and the typical example is now preserved in the British Museum, where I have myself examined 
it. It has lately hecn noticed by Dr. Sclater in his paper on the birds collected by Mr. George Brown in 
Duke-of-York Island and New Ireland; but no locality was given for the specimen, and so we do not know 
the exact origin of this individual, though there can be no doubt that it came from one or the other of the 
above-mentioned islands. The typical birds were said to be from the Solomon Islands ; but we shall want 
confirmatory evidence on this point, as the recent collections from this locality haV'C not contained any 
examples of a Nasiterna, and it is just possible that they may have come from New Ireland ; on the other 
hand, the species may possibly be found in both groups of islands. 
Count Salvador! writes: — “This species comes very near to N. heccarii, from which it differs in the blue 
colour of the crown being less extended and of a duller shade, in the somewhat ochraceous brown colour of 
the forehead and sides of the head, in the more yellowish colour of the middle of the belly, and in the longer 
wings. I have seen four specimens of this Pygmy Parrot, viz. : — the type in the British Museum ; one in the 
Zoological Museum of Turin, received from Mr. Krefft during the voyage of the ‘Magenta;’ another in the 
Museum of Berlin, also received from Mr. Krefft; and, lastly, a specimen received from Mr. Brown without 
indication of the locality.” 
The description given below was also forwarded to me by Count Salvador! : — “ Green, the underparts 
lighter and a little tinged with yellowish down the centre of the belly ; crown didl blue, the forehead and 
sides of the head brown, with a slight ochraceous tinge ; tail and wings as in /V. heccarii. Size a 
little larger than the latter bird.” Total length 3‘4 inches, culmen 0'4, wing 2‘5, tail 2‘2. 
To the above description of Count Salvador! I have only to add that the black spot on the centre tail- 
feathers is larger than in most of this species. 
The lower figure in the Plate was drawn from the British-Museum specimen ; and the upper figure is 
taken from Mr. Brown’s bird above mentioned. They are of the natural size. 
