CHARMOSYNA STELLA, Meyer.

Stella Parrakeet.

Charmosyna josephine (nec Finsch), Sharpe, Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xvi. p. 428 (1882).
Trichoglossus papuana, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, x. p. 244 (1885).
Charmosyna stelle, Meyer, in Madarasz, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. iii. p. 9, pl. il. (1886).

 

Tus splendid Parrakeet is the southern representative of C. papuensis, which inhabits North-western
New Guinea. It was described by Dr. Meyer from specimens procured by Mr. Hunstein in the Owen Stanley
Mountains; and Mr. Forbes has sent a fne series from the Astrolabe range, where it would seem to be
abundant, if only sufficient altitude is reached. Mr. Goldie sent home some years ago a pair of mutilated
skins, which we recognized as different from C. papuana, but erroneously referred them to C. josephine.
Mr. Ramsay says that he has also received specimens of both species from the Astrolabe Mountains, the
C. papuana mentioned by him being of course C. stelle.

The present species is easily distinguished from both C. papuana and C. josephine by the absence of the
yellow patches on the sides of the body, and also in the different arrangement of the nuchal patch, the
greater part of the crown in C. stelle being crimson, followed by a large lilac-blue patch on the occiput
and nape, whereas in C. papuana the occiput is black, separated from the crimson forehead by a line
of lilac-blue feathers.

Mr. Goldie, when he procured the first mutilated skins from the natives, wrote as follows :—‘‘ The feathers
from the tail have been frequently obtained along the coast. The natives said that the bird was only to be
obtained at a considerable distance from Morocco inland on the mountains.” The native name is
given by him as “ Divu.”

Adult male. General colour above dark grass-green, the back and upper tail-coverts rich crimson, with
a patch of lilac-blue on the rump; a broad collar of deep crimson separating the head from the green
mantle, the adjacent feathers being crimson with green tips; wing-coverts grass-green like the mantle ;
bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills dusky blackish, externally grass-green ; tail-feathers green,
the long centre feathers passing into red and thence into yellow at the ends ; the remainder of the feathers
yellow towards the ends, the base of the ‘nner web rich crimson; crown of head crimson, the nape black,
the occiput with a patch of long lilac-blue feathers; entire sides of face, throat, and breast deep crimson,
with a small patch of green feathers at the sides of the upper breast; lower breast and abdomen blackish
with a purplish-blue gloss, more distinct over the thighs; sides of body and flanks deep crimson 3 lower
abdomen, vent, and under  tail-coverts deep crimson ; under wing-coverts and axillaries crimson; edge of
wing green 5 lower coverts and guills below dull blackish. Total length lo inches, culmen 0°8, wing 5°6,
tail 4°6 (longest feathers 10-4), tarsus 0°55.

Adult female. Differs from the male in having the centre of the back golden yellow instead of crimson,
and in having the blackish colour of the abdomen extending on to the flanks. Total length 14°5 inches,
culmen 0°85, wing 9°2, tail 5°5 (longest feathers 10:2), tarsus 0:55.

The young male resembles the old male, and, like it, has a crimson back ; but the crimson feathers of the
hind neck and breast are margined with purplish blue, and the blackish abdomen is washed with green and
has blue endings to the feathers.

The Plate represents an adult male and female of this Parrakeet, the figures being drawn from speci-

mens collected by Mr. H. O. Forbes.
[R. Bs Sa