CYCLOPSITTA MACCOYLI, Gouid.

M‘Coy’s Perroquet.

Cyclopsitta Maccoyi, Gould, P. Z.S. 1875, p. 314 (April).
Leadbeatert, M‘Coy, Ann. N. H. (4) xvi. p. 54 (July 1875).

 

AUSTRALIA now possesses two species of Cyclopsitta, a genus unknown to inhabit the continent until a few
years ago, when the C. Coweni was discovered. New Guinea has three species, the Aru Islands and the
Philippines two each, while C. Blythi is confined to the island of Mysol. The distribution of this little
genus is therefore very remarkable, and its absence from Celebes and the Halmahera group of islands
is not what we should have expected.

I am indebted to Mr. Waller, of Brisbane, for the loan of the specimens from which my original
description was taken; and I felt great pleasure in adopting the suggestion of that gentleman that I should
confer upon the species the name of Professor M‘Coy, to whom so much of the progress of science in the
Australian colonies is due. Unfortunately this little bird is already burdened with a synonym; for nearly at
the same time that I described it, Professor M‘Coy himself sent a description of the species, proposing for
it the name of C. Leadbeateri. He gives the characters as follows :—‘* The general size, shape, and
colouring is nearly like that of C. Covent; but it is somewhat smaller, and has in both sexes an oblong
patch of red on the forehead, just over the cere. It differs also in habitat, frequenting the scrubs more
than C. Coveni does. It seems to be rather rare at Cardwell, where the specimens described were collected
by Mr. Broadbent.”

Male.—General colour green, the face having all the fantastic colours of the Harlequin; on the forehead
a band of bright scarlet, surrounded by cobalt, a shade of the same colour encircling the latter, narrow
above, broader below; on the cheeks, from the base of the bill to the tips of the ear-coverts, a band of
scarlet like that on the forehead ; and below this is an obscure band of purplish blue, gradually fading off
into the green of the neck ; flank-feathers tipped with bright lemon-yellow ; quills externally blue, the inner
secondaries green, with the usual tiny patch of scarlet adjoiming the back ; tail green ; under wing-coverts
green, the outer ones washed with blue; quills blackish below, diagonally crossed near the base with a
yellow band. Total length 53 inches ; wing 38, tail 12, tarsus 2.

Female.—Differs from the male in wanting the scarlet cheeks ; in other respects similar.

All the members of this little genus roam about in flocks, but, perched among the leaves and flowers of
the Eucalypti, are excessively silent and seldom betray their presence until the whole company simultane-
ously burst forth into the open air and wing their way to other trees.

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

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