LORICULUS AURANTIIFRONS, Schieget
Orange-crowned Loriculus.

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Loriculus aurantufrons, Schlegel, Nederlandsch Tijdschrift voor de Dierkunde, iv. p. 19.—Salvad. Ann. Mus.
Civic. Genov. ix. p. 912.—Meyer, in Rowley’s Orn. Mise. ii. p. 245.

 

Tue present species, of which a fine male was kindly sent to me by Dr. Meyer, is one of the smallest
Parrots known, and forms one of a group of tiny Loriculi found in New Guinea and the adjacent islands.
It was first discovered by the Dutch traveller M. Hoedt in the island of Mysol; and since that time it has
been collected in North-western New Guinea by M. Bruijn. The latter gentleman procured specimens at
Andai; and Count Salvadori, when recording this fact, believed that this was the first instance of the
occurrence of the species in New Guinea. That it was the first mstance published, there can be no
question, as Dr. Meyer, although he was the first to procure actual specimens, had not stated it in print.
He informs me in a letter that he has no notes on the present bird, of which he only procured two male
examples.

The following is a translation of Professor Schlegel’s original description :—

«The first three quills are of equal length and much longer than the fourth ; tail rounded ; bill not strong,
black. General colour of the plumage lively green, verging slightly upon yellow, and lighter on the under
than on the upper surface ; upper aspect of the inner web of the quills black, with the exception of their
extremities ; lower aspect of the primaries black, but with very broad edgings of bluish verdigris occupying
the inner web; this colour extends over nearly the whole of both quills in the secondaries; greater
wing-coverts of the same bluish verdigris, lesser and median coverts coloured like the abdomen. ‘Tail-
feathers black in the centre, for the remainder green on their upper surface, verdigris below; rump and
upper tail-coverts fiery red, slightly shaded with orange on the sides of the rump; fore part of the throat
with a spot of red colour a little darker than that of the rump.

“The sexes present the following differences in colour: the male has a large patch of lively orange,
occupying nearly the entire forehead ; not a trace of this is seen in our female specimen, which is distin-
guished on the contrary by the prevailing green colour, passing into verdigris on the forehead and sides of
the head.”

For the opportunity of figuring the male of this pretty little Parrot { am indebted to the kindness of Dr
A. B. Meyer.

The portrait of the female bird is drawn from a specimen collected by M. Bruijn at Andai; and I have to
acknowledge the kindness of Dr. Sclater for permitting me to see this bird, which had been sent to him
for examination by Count Salvadori, to whom I also beg leave to return my due acknowledgments.

Total length 3% inches ; wing 23, bill 3, tail 14, tarsus 3.

The figures in the Piate are of the size of life.

 

 

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