File:The royal natural history (1893) (14784437672).jpg

Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
. In the present genus, of which we take Swainsons loriquet (Trichoglossuf<novce-hollandice) as a well-known example, the prevailing colour of the plumage, VOL. IV. — 7 Loriquets. 98 PARROTS. both above and below, is green; the tail-feathers being entirely of this hue, andmoderate in length. The two middle feathers of the tail are not greatly elongated;while the four or five first primaries of the wings are not greatly narrowed attheir tips. On the forehead the streaks on the shafts of the feathers are more orless blue, while the breast is more or less tinged with red; these two charactersservino to distinguish these birds from the members of the allied genus Fsitteuteles.The range of these loriquets extends from New Guinea to Celebes. Swainsonsloriquet attains a total length of 12 inches, of which 5^ are taken up by the tail,and is thus one of the largest representatives of the genus. In coloration it is,ijerhaps, the handsomest of all the Australian parrots; the head and throat
Text Appearing After Image:
swainsons loriquet (i uat. size being of a brilliant purplish blue, the nape of the neck greenish yellow, theabdomen blue; and the remainder of the body, together with the upper surface ofthe wings and tail, green. The under tail-coverts are yellow at the base and greenat the tip, while the under wing-coverts are red. A yellow tip characterises the redbill, and the feet are slaty grey. This handsome bird is an inhabitant of EastAustralia, ranging from Cape York to Victoria, and is likewise found in Tasmania.By the colonists it is commonly termed either the Blue Mountain lory, or the BlueMountaineer. Like its allies, it is almost exclusively a honey-sucker: and so muchhonej^ do they gather, that when shot, as Professor Moseley tell us, it is quite com-mon to see this fluid streaming out of their beaks. They generally associate insmall flocks, and durinof their flip-ht utter loud screamini*; cries. Durintj; their COCKATOOS. 99 migrations, according to the Old Bushman, tliey may, however

Note About Images