Psittacus domicella, LINNÆUS; Le Lory demoiselle, ou à
collier, BUFFON; Der blauköpfige Lory, BECHSTEIN.
This magnificent species is of the size of a pigeon, and ten inches and
a half in length. The beak is orange, the membrane blackish, as well as
the circle of the eyes. The top of the head is purple black, or rather
black shading to purple, on the nape of the neck; a crescent of light
yellow, more or less visible, ornaments the under part of the throat.
The outer edge of the quill-feathers, and the small wing-coverts, are of
a deep blue, shading to sky blue; the others of a meadow green. The tail
is slightly wedge-shaped, and of a bluish purple, tinged with red brown.
In the female, which is smaller, the crescent is either not visible or
only faintly marked; the blue on the head is very slight; the border of
the wing is a mixture of blue and green; this is all the blue which
there is in the wings.
VARIETY.--The lower part of the back and belly, the rump, and the
thighs are white and rose colour; the upper and under tail-coverts
red and white; the wing-coverts green, with a mixture of light
yellow; the beak light yellow; the rest as usual.
OBSERVATIONS.--This species has the same attractions as the other
lories, and to judge from the specimen which I have seen among the
collection of the Duke of Meiningen, it appeared to be the mildest,
most endearing, and amiable; in short, the most docile and talkative
of all the parrots. It cries _lory_, and chatters incessantly, but in
a hollow voice, something like that of a man who speaks from his
chest; it repeats everything whistled to it in a clear tone; it likes
to be always caressed and paid attention to; its memory is very good.
This delicate species, being preserved with difficulty during the
voyage, is also very rare and dear; it is a native of the Moluccas
and of New Guinea; it requires to be taken great care of, to be kept
warm; and to have its food changed when necessary.