NESTOR HYPOPOLIUS, Wazgi.

Crown of the head greyish white slightly tinged with green ; face and ear-coverts yellowish tinged near the base
of the bill with red ; sides of the neck, breast, and abdomen dull red, each feather margined with olive ereen ;
back and wings brownish olive; rump and vent deep red; tail brownish green; bill grey with a darker tip;
legs and feet brownish grey.

Total length, 164 inches; bill, 2; wing, 11+; tail, 7; tarsi, 1+.

Psittacus Nestor, Lath. Ind. Orn., p. 110. sp. 85.—Kuhl. Consp. Psitt. in Nov. Act., &c., p. 86.

Psittacus Australis, Shaw, Mus. Lever., pl. in p. 87.

Southern Brown Parrot, Lath. Syn., vol. 1. p. 264. no. 70.—Shaw, Zool. vol. viii. p. 522.—Lath. Gen. Hist. vol.
il. p. 211. no. 142.

Psittacus meridionalis, Gmel. Linn. vol. 1. p. 333.

Nestor hypopolius, Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., &c., pp. 505 and 696.—Selby, Nat. Lib., vol. vi. p. 121. pl. 12.
Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.

 

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Tus species was first described by Dr. Latham in his “Index Ornithologicus ;” and although it has been
known for so many years, little or nothing more is known respecting it than that it is from New Zealand,
which in all probability is the only locality it inhabits.

It is the type of Dr. Wagler’s genus Nestor, the species of which are rendered remarkable by the depth and
richness of their colouring ; and judging from the few specimens which have come under my notice the only
outward difference in the sexes would appear to be the somewhat smaller size and less brilliant colouring of

the female. It is said to be one of the most noisy and impudent of its race, to have a voice harsh and dis-

agreeable in the extreme, and to possess considerable powers of imitation.
Habitat. New Zealand, where it is called by the natives Ka-ka.