APROSMICTUS SCAPULATUS.
King Lory.

Psittacus scapulatus, Bechst. ; Kuhl, Nova Acta, p. 56.—Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. viii. p. 407. pl. 55.

Psittacus Tabuensis, var. 8, Lath. Ind. Orn., p. 88.

La Grande Perruche a collier et croupion bleu, Le Vaill. Hist. des Perr., pls. 55 and 56.

Tabuan Parrot, White’s Journ., pl. in p. 168 male, in p. 169 female.— Phill. Bot. Bay, pl. in p. 153.—Lath. Gen.
Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 81.

Platycercus scapulatus, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 284.—Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., tom. i.
pp. 492 and 537.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiv. p. 122.

Psittacus cyanopygius, Vieill., 2nde Edit. du Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xxv. p. 339.-—Ibid. Gal. des Ois. Supp.,
pls. of male and female.

Scarlet and Green Parrot, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ii. p. 116.

Platycercus scapularis, Swains. Zool. Il., 2nd Ser. pl. 26.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 207.

Aprosmictus scapulatus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., August 9, 1842.

Wellat, Aborigines of New South Wales.

 

Tunis very showy and noble species appears to be extremely local in its habitat; if I remember rightly, I
have not seen it from any other portion of Australia than New South Wales, in which country it appears to
be almost exclusively confined to the brushes, particularly such as are low and humid, and where the large
Casuarine grow in the greatest profusion. All the brushes stretching along the southern and eastern coast
appear to be equally favoured with its presence, as it there finds a plentiful supply of food, consisting of
seeds, fruits and berries. At the period when the Indian corn is becoming ripe it leaves its umbrageous
abode and sallies forth in vast flocks, which commit great devastation on the ripening grain. It is rather a dull
and inactive species compared with the members of the restricted genus Platycercus; it flies much more
heavily, and is very different in its disposition, for although it soon becomes habituated to confinement, it is
less easily tamed and much less confiding and familiar ; the great beauty of the male, however, somewhat
compensates for this unpleasant trait, and consequently it is highly prized as a cage-bird.

I was never so fortunate as to find the nest of this species, neither could I gather any information
respecting this part of the bird’s economy ; and I am inclined to look with suspicion on the account given by
Mr. Caley, as recorded in the Linnean Transactions, which in my opinion must have reference to the eggs
of some other bird.

When fully adult the sexes differ very considerably in the colouring of the plumage, as will be seen by the
. following descriptions.

The male has the head, neck and all the under surface scarlet ; back and wings green, the inner webs
of the primaries and secondaries being black ; along the scapularies a broad line of pale verdigris-green ;
a line bounding the scarlet at the back of the neck, the rump and upper tail-coverts rich deep blue ; tail
black ; pupil large and black; irides narrow and yellow ; bill scarlet; legs mealy brown.

The female has the head and all the upper surface green; throat and chest green tinged with red;
abdomen and under tail-coverts scarlet ; rump dull blue; two centre tail-feathers green ; the remainder
green, passing into bluish black ; and with a rose-coloured spot at the extremity on the under surface.

The young male for the first two years resembles the female, which is doubtless the cause why so few
birds are seen in the bright red dress, compared with those having a green head and chest.

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.