CYCLOPSITTA ARUENSIS, Schéeg.

Aru Perroquet.

Psittacula diophthalmus (partim), G. R. Gray, P. Z.S. 1858, p. 195.

Psittacula diophthalma, G. R. Gray, List Psittacide Brit. Mus. p. 90 (1859, nec Hombr. et Jacq.).—Id. Cat. Mam.
& B. New Guinea, pp. 42, 60 (1859, pt.).—Id. P. Z. 8. 1861, p. 437.—Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Psittaci,
p. 75 (1864, pt.).—Id. Neder]. Tijdschr. Dierk. iii. p. 831 (1866, pt.).—Finsch, Papag. ii. p. 628
(1868, pt.).

Opopsitta diophthalma, Rosenb. Journ. fiir Ornith. 1862, p. 65.—Id. Natuurl. Tijdschr. voor Nederl Indie, 1863,
p- 226 (partim).

Cyclopsitta diophthalma, Wall. P. Z. 5. 1864, p. 284.

Psittacula diophthalma aruensis, Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Psittaci, Revue, p. 33 (1874).

Cyclopsitta aruensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. vi. p. 73 (1874).

Cyclopsittacus aruensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genoy. x. p. 28 (1877).

 

Tins Perroquet was for a long time confounded with Cyclopsitta diophthalma, but is now admitted by orni-
thologists to constitute a separate species. Almost at the same time Professor Schlegel and Count Salvadori
separated it under the name of arwenses ; and the former gentleman remarks as follows :—‘ This bird, which
represents the Psittacula diophthalma in the Aru group, presents us with a curious fact, viz. that the adult
male is distinguished only by very subtle characters from the adults of both sexes of P. diophthalma, while
the females and young are distinguished by very sensible differences. On comparing the adult male of P.
aruensis with the adult of both sexes of P. diophthalma, one sees at once that the red on the head is a little
clearer and does not pass into yellow on the top, while the blue spot above the eye is much more restricted
and is of a green colour, differing little from the prevailing tint of the bird, and, lastly, the blue colour
behind the region of the ears is prolonged underneath the chin. ‘The young male has absolutely the same
colours as the adult, with the exception that the red of the head is paler. In the females, both young and
old, the parts of the head which are red in both sexes of P. diophthalma are, on the contrary, in P. aruensis
rather clear blue without the least trace of red. The species would appear to occur in most of the islands
of the Aru group, having been observed by Mr. Wallace at Dobbo in Wammer, and at Wonoumbai by Von
Rosenberg and Hoedt, as well as by Dr. Beceari in Lutor. Mr. Wallace refers to his specimens as having
been ‘shot while feeding on the fruit of a Ficus, close to the trading-town of Dobbo.’”

Beyond this trifling note, I believe that nothing whatever has been written or said concerning this most
elegant little bird.

The figures on the Plate are of the size of life, and represent adult birds.