Psittacus philippensis P. L. S. Müller, Syst. Nat. Suppl. (1776),
80.
Loriculus philippensis Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1891),
20, 524; Sharpe, Hand-List (1900), 2, 36; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 50.
Co-la-sí-si, Manila.
Banton (Celestino); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Luzon (Meyer, Heriot,
Möllendorff, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor);
Marinduque (Steere Exp.).
Adult male.--Forehead red, bordered behind by a narrow line of yellow;
crown faintly tinged with yellow; a narrow golden orange band or spot
on nape. Length, 160; wing, 92; tail, 42; culmen from cere, 15.
Adult female.--Differs from the male in having the cheeks blue and
under parts yellowish green with no red breast-patch. Length, 152;
wing, 93; tail, 45; culmen from cere, 13.
"The habits of the Philippine representatives of this genus agree so
closely that a description of one species will suffice for all. The
eight Philippine species at present known are all peculiar to the
group. They are common in the deep forests of the wilder islands,
but are most readily observed and easily obtained in the coconut
groves near and in the native villages, where they feed on the
young blossoms and drink the 'tuba.' The latter article of diet is
the palm juice which the natives obtain by cutting off the blossom
stalks of the coconut trees and fitting a joint of bamboo over the
cut ends. The Loriculi are inordinately fond of this juice, and
many of our specimens were shot from the 'bombons' (bamboo tubes),
as they drank it. They are by all odds the commonest cage birds of
the Islands, and are frequently carried by the natives from place to
place. The various native names 'colacici,' 'cucci,' 'culanci' are all
attempts to imitate the note. They have the peculiar undulating flight
of woodpeckers, and give their shrill whistle at frequent intervals
when on the wing. Usually very shy in the woods, but exceedingly
bold in the coconut groves. Almost never seen in flocks." (Bourns
and Worcester MS.)