CYCLOPSITTA DIOPHTHALMA.

Double-eyed Perroquet.

Psittacula diophthalma, Hombr. et Jacq. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 2nd series, xvi. p. 318 (1841).—Gray,
Gen. B. ii. p. 423 (1846).—Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Psittaci, p. 75 (1864).—Id. Nederl. Tijdsch.
Dierk. iii. p. 331 (1866, pt.).—Finsch, Die Papageien, ii. p. 628 (1868, pt.).

Cyclopsitta double wil, Hombr. et Jacquinot, Voyage Péle Sud, Atlas, pl. 25 bis, figs. 4, 5 (1842-1853).

Cyclopsitta diophthalma, Jacq. et Pucheran, Voy. Péle Sud, texte, iil. p. 107 (1853).—Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de
Zool. 1854, p. 154.—Sclater, Proc. Linn. Soc. 1858, p. 106.— Wallace, P. Z. 5S. 1864, p. 284 Ge:

Opopsitta diophthalma, Sclater, P. Z.S. 1860, p. 227.—Rosenb. J. f. O. 1864, p. 115.—Sclater, een eS Sean DE
697.

Cyclopsittacus diophthalmus, Salvad. Aun. Mus. Civic. Genov. x. p. 28 (1877).—Id. tom. cit. p. 120 (1877).

 

 

Our knowledge of the present beautiful little species is unfortunately very limited ; and at present we are
unaware of any thing connected with its habits and economy, although these are doubtless precisely similar
to those of the other Cyclopsitte. Its chief habitat appears to be the north-western portion of New Guinea,
where it has been collected by Signor D’Albertis and by Dr. Meyer near Andai, and in the Arfak Mountains
by Mr. Bruijn and Dr. Beccari, while a good many specimens are contained in the Leiden collection from
Kalwal in Salwati, where they were obtained by the late Dr. Bernstein. It appears likewise to be plentiful
in the island of Mysol, where Mr. Hoedt obtained a considerable series from the neighbourhood of Kasim
and Waaigama. Count Salvadori also mentions its occurrence in the island of Koffias, on the authority of
specimens in Count Turati’s museum. The original examples, procured by MM. Hombron and Jacquinot,
are said to have come from Southern New Guinea.

The following is a description of an adult male bird from Mysol :—

General colour above bright grass-green ; wing-coverts a little darker green than the back, the outermost
of the lesser coverts blue, as well as the outer greater coverts, primary-coverts, and primaries, the latter
black on the inner webs, the secondaries green, with a bright orange patch on the inner web of the dorsal
secondaries ; tail green, forehead and sinciput red, fading into yellow on the hinder crown, lores and sides
of face also red, the ear-coverts with a blue streak across the middle, separating the red face from the hinder
ear-coverts and sides of neck, which are green ; in front of the eye a spot of cobalt-blue ; under urface of
body bright grass-green, lighter on the centre of the body, the flanks with dashes of bright yellow; under
wing-coverts bluish green; quills blackish below, yellow on the inner webs, as also across the lower greater
coverts. Total length 5°8 inches, wing 3°6, tail 2-0.

According to Professor Schlegel, there is no difference in the coloration of the sexes; but the young birds
always have the forehead as far as the top of the head tinged with red, duller than in the adults, while the
red colour of the cheeks is replaced by clear yellowish brown, changing to red more quickly in the males
than in the females. A young male is also described by Count Salvadori as being similar to the old female,
but much smaller, with the red colour on the upper part of the head tinged posteriorly with yellow, while
the cheeks are greyish buff margined below and behind with azure blue, and from the forehead a thin red
line extends underneath the eyes to the region of the ear-coverts. Signor D’Albertis gives the colour of the
eyes as black.

My own specimens of this bird are in very fine condition, having been obtained from Mr, Wallace’s ex-
pedition ; so that I have been able to mstitute exact comparisons between the present species and C. aruensis,
the result being that I am perfectly convinced of the specific distinctness of these two little Perroquets, and
have given figures of the two in the present work.

The Plate represents an adult and a young male of the natural size, drawn from skins in my own collection.