NASITERNA KEIENSIS, Salvad. 
Ke-Island Pyg*my Parrot. 
Nasiterna keiensis, Salvad, Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, vii. p. 984 (1875), x. p. 26. sp. 10 (1877). 
? Nasitema pygmcEtt (pt.), Schl. N. T. D. iii. p. 331 (1866, spec, from Aru Islands). — Rosenb. (nee Q. & G.), 
Reis naar zuidostereil. pp. 48, 49 (1867, Aru). — Sclil. N. T. D. iv. pp. 5, 7 (pt., 1871 ). — Id. Mus. P.- 
B. Psittaci, Revue, p, 71 (pt., 1874). 
}Nasiterna aruensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, vii. p. 985 (1875, ex Schlegel), x. p. 25, note 2 (1877). 
I HAVE reproduced exactly the synonymy which my friend Count Salvador! has sent to me, as it explains 
so thoroughly the history of the species, and makes clear the following note with whicli he has favoured 
me: — “ The Ke-Island Pygmy Parrot is very like the female of N. pygmcea\ but it is larger, has the pileum 
more conspicuously ochraceous yellow, and the underparts more greenish, and wdthont the yellow tint. 
Male and female scarcely dilfer. Total length 3'9-3‘6 inches, culmen 4*5, wing 2*2-2‘6, tail 1*2-1*1. 
“ Besides the three typieal specimens, two males and a female, collected by lieccari on the Ke Islands 
and described by me, I have seen in the Leiden Museum two examples from the Aru Islands, collected by 
Von Rosenberg, which have been spoken of by Professor Schlegel. They are in rather bad condition ; and 
although they seem to resemble the birds from the Ke Islands, with wliich I have compared them, I am not 
quite sure that they really belong to the same species.” 
Count Salvadorl left with me for the purpose of this work a fine male and female; and as these appear 
to be fully adult, we njay conclude that the s|)ecies has none of the richer colour on the breast as in 
N. pygmeea, from which it also dilfers in the more conspicuous spotting of the shoulder. I have no doubt 
as to the specific value of N, keiensis . 
The following description is drawn up from the typical specimens : — 
Crown dirty yellow, forming a well-defined cap ; face suffused with brown, which gradually blends into 
green on the cheeks ; all the upper and under surface green, the back being of a deeper hue than the lower 
parts ; on the chest of the male in certain lights is a very delicate wash of blue. Primaries blackish brown, 
each feather slightly margined with green ; secondaries and, especially, the feathers of the shoulder conspi- 
cuously spotted with black ; two centre tail-feathers blue on the upper surface, wuth the shaft black, the 
four or five outer feathers on each side with the usual spot of yellow on the tips of their inner webs ; the 
spines of the centre feathers very fine, but little prolonged, and without the spot of black found in some of 
the species ; under tail-coverts yellow, stained with green. 
The figures in the Plate are taken from the type specimens, and are of the natural size. It will be seen 
that the sexes are alike in colour. 
