CYCLOPSITTA COCCINEIFRONS.

Astrolabe-Mountain Perroquet.

Cyclopsittacus coccineifrons, Sharpe, Journ. Linn. Soc., Zool. xvi. pp. 318, 426 (1882).—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic.
Genov. xviii. p. 418 (1882).—Id. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche, iii. p. 516 (1882).

 

Turis species was discovered by Mr. Goldie in the Morocco district of the Astrolabe Mountains in South-
eastern New Guinea. Mr, H. O. Forbes has recently met with it in the Sogeri district on the same range
of mountains.

We separated the present species from C. diophthalnus on account of the darker colour of the red on the
crown, but now that we have had an opportunity of examining a second specimen, and that a male bird, we do
not find that this distinction is upheld, but the species is nevertheless different from C. diophthalmus. It may
in fact be recognized by the greater breadth of the yellow band across the crown, which is little more than
a narrow line in the last-named species.

Neither Mr, Goldie nor Mr. Forbes have given any information respecting the habits of this pretty little
Perroquet, but the former gentleman states that it is called ‘ Ciguri’ by the natives of the Astrolabe Mountains.

The following is a description of the sexes of this species :—

Adult female, General colour above grass-green; lesser wing-coverts like the back, becoming a little
brighter on the median and greater coverts, the outermost of which are slightly washed with blue; bastard-
wing and primary-coverts deep blue ; quills black, the primaries externally deep blue; the secondaries green
like the back ; the innermost marked with scarlet on the inner web, as also the innermost greater coverts ;
tail-feathers darker green than the back, washed with blue near the base and on the inner web; a broad
band across the forehead and sinciput, deep scarlet or dull crimson, succeeded by a well-defined band of
yellow, the occiput and nape and hind neck a little more yellowish green than the back ; lores crimson, as
also a streak below the eye; above the fore part of the eye a broad streak or longitudinal spot of greenish
turquoise ; ear-coverts and cheeks pale drab-brown, washed with greenish blue below, and with a narrow
line of purplish blue behind the ear-coverts ; under surface of body light emerald-green, with a broad streak
of golden yellow down the sides of the body; thighs and under tail-coverts light emerald-green, the long
ones edged with yellow ; under wing-coverts emerald-green, those near the edge of the wing deep bluish
green ; axillaries emerald-green with a darker green centre ; lower coverts and quills below dusky blackish,
crossed with a double bar of pale yellow. Total length 5:6 inches, culmen 0°55, wing 3°65, tail 1:96,
tarsus 0°3.

The adult male differs from the type, which is evidently a female, in having the cheeks and sides of face
scarlet: ‘bill bluish carneous, black on the tips of the mandibles ; legs and feet pale blue; iris orange-
red” (ZZ. O. Forbes). ‘Total length 5°5 inches, wing 3:26, tail 1-45, tarsus 0°35.

The Plate represents an adult male in two positions, the figures being drawn from a specimen procured
by Mr. Forbes in the Astrolabe Mountains.

[R. B. 8.]