NASITERNA MISORIENSIS.

Misori Pygmy Parrot.

Nasiterna pygmea geelvinkiana (pt.), Schl. N.'T. D. iv. p. 7 (1871).—Rosenb. Reist. naar Geelvinkb. p. 137
(1875, pt.).
—— geelvinkiana (pt.), Schl. Mus. P.-B. Psittaci, Revue, p. 71 (1874).—Meyer, Sitz. Isis zu Dresden,
1875, p. 76 (pt.).—Beccari, Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. vii. p. 714 (1875, pt.).—Finsch, Orn. Mise.
p. 160 (1876).
—__— misoriensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic, Genov. vii. p. 909 (1875), x. p. 26 (1877).
———— misorensis, Sclater, Ibis, 1876, p. 358.

 

For a comparison of the present species with WV. maforensis, I may refer my readers to the Plates of the two,
where it will be seen that these Pygmy Parrots, although closely allied, appear to possess good specific
characters. I owe to the courtesy of Dr. Meyer two mounted specimens of the Misori bird, the male
having a widely spread mark of orange-yellow down the abdomen, a feature apparently wanting in the opposite
sex ; and Count Salvadori has also favoured me with a sight of the type specimen obtained by Beccari.
All the males had brown heads, with a distinct lunate mark of yellow on the nape, while the females had the
brown suffused with bluish.

Count Salvadori writes to me :—‘‘This species is peculiar to the island of Misori, where Von Rosenberg
was the first to collect specimens. He obtamed a male and two females, which Prof. Schlegel referred to
his Nasiterna pygmea geelvinkiana along with the Mafor specimens. When Beccari sent home examples
from both localities, I determined those from Misori as belonging to a different species from those of Mafor.

“The adult male is easy to distinguish by reason of his brown head with avery conspicuous yellow spot
on the nape.

‘© Dr. Finsch has described (/. c.) two specimens of this bird collected by Dr. Meyer in Misori, which
Dr. Finsch seems to think is the same as Mafor. I should say that his description of the supposed male
has been taken from a female, and that the description of the supposed female was that of a young bird ;
one thing is quite certain, that neither the one nor the other of the specimens described by him were adult.”

I have received the following note from Dr. Meyer :-—“I noticed in my diary, under the heading of
N. pygmea geelvinkiana from Mysore (Kordo) :—‘ Colour of the eyes orange-yellow ; feet and claws
bluish grey, the underparts of the feet somewhat yellowish. Bill bluish grey, the base of the lower mandible
white. Cere black, the nostrils surrounded by an elevated thick fleshy rmg. Head covered with many little
white parasites (lice). In the stomach the remains of fruit.”

I subjoin a description of the species, sent to me along with the synonymy by Count Salvadori.

“¢ Male. Green ; head brown, with a conspicuous yellow spot on the nape; round the neck there is a
slight indication of a blue collar; middle of the breast and abdomen bright ochraceous yellow; under
tail-coverts and a spot at the tip of the inner web of the three outer tail-feathers pure yellow; the
two middle tail-feathers blue, with a small black spot, scarcely visible, near the tip; the outer tail-feathers
edged externally with green, the spiny tip of the rectrices rather long; bill strong, of a greyish colour ;
iris orange-red. (Beccari.)

“Female. Green ; pileum brown, with the feathers of the vertex edged with dull blue ; cheeks brownish
green; underparts yellowish green ; under tail-coverts yellow ; tail as in the male.

‘Total length 3°6 inches, culmen 0°45, wing 2°1, tail 1-2.” :

I have figured on the Plate two males and a female, of the size of life; and for the opportunity of figuring

these I have to thank Dr. Meyer, who, with his usual liberality, sent me over his fine specimens for the

purpose.