_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
APROSMICTUS ERYTHROPTERUS.
Red-winged Lory.
_Psittacus erythropterus_, Gmel. Syst., vol. i. p. 343.—Kuhl, Nova
Acta, vol. x. p. 53.—Quoy et Gaim. Zool. de la Voy. autour du Monde,
pl. 27.—Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 126.
_Psittacus melanotus_, Shaw, Nat. Misc., pl. 653.—Ib. Gen. Zool., vol.
viii. p. 467.
_Crimson-winged Parrot_, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. i. p. 299; and Supp. p.
60.—Ib. Gen. Hist., vol. ii. p. 253.
_Platycercus erythropterus_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv.
p. 284.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 208.—Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand.,
tom. i. pp. 492 and 536.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol.
xiv. p. 123.
_Aprosmictus erythropterus_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., August 9,
1842.
This beautiful Lory is very widely distributed over the greater portion
of the continent of Australia, and its range also extends to New Guinea
and Timor; I must not, however, fail to remark, that specimens from the
latter countries, as well as those from Port Essington, are smaller in
all their admeasurements than those from the southern and eastern
portions of Australia; no difference whatever exists in the markings or
colouring of the individuals from all these various localities, I am
therefore induced to consider them as so many races of the same bird,
rather than as distinct species.
In Australia, the Red-winged Lory, so far as my observation has enabled
me to judge, is as exclusively an inhabitant of the interior of the
country as its near ally the King Lory is a denizen of the thick brushes
which extend along the coast, both, as is always the case, being
beautifully adapted to the character of country they are respectively
destined to inhabit. The extensive belts of _Acacia pendula_ which
stretch over and diversify the arid plains of the great Australian
basin, are tenanted with thousands of this bird, besides numerous other
species, roaming about either in small companies of six or eight, or in
flocks of a much greater number. It is beyond the power of my pen to
describe or give a just idea of the extreme beauty of the appearance of
the Red-winged Lory when seen among the silvery branches of the Acacia,
particularly when the flocks comprise a large number of adult males, the
gorgeous scarlet of whose shoulders offers so striking a contrast to the
surrounding objects. It is rather thinly dispersed among the trees
skirting the rivers which intersect the Liverpool Plains, but from
thence towards the interior it increases in number, and probably extends
over the whole of the interior, for it is as abundant at Port Essington
on the north coast as it is on the southern: I have also received it
from South Australia and the north-west coast, but not as yet from Swan
River. In its actions and disposition it has much of the character of
the King Lory, being morose and indocile: as it is naturally shy and
wary, it is much more difficult of approach than the generality of the
Parrots; and although the contrary is sometimes the case, it seldom
becomes tame or familiar in captivity.
Its powers of flight are fully adequate and in every way adapted to the
extensive plains it is destined to inhabit, enabling it readily to pass,
frequently at a great height in the air, from one part of the plain to
another. Its flight is, however, performed with a motion of the wings
totally different from that of any other member of the great family of
_Psittacidæ_ I have seen, and has frequently reminded me of the heavy
flapping manner of the Pewit, except that the flapping motion was even
slower and more laboured, like that of the Terns. It has a loud
screeching piercing cry, which it frequently utters during flight.
Its food consists of berries, the fruits of a species of _Loranthus_,
and the pollen of flowers, to which is added a species of scaly bug-like
insect, which infests the branches of its favourite trees; in all
probability small caterpillars also form a part, as I have found them in
the crops of several of the _Platycerci_.
It breeds in the holes of the large Eucalypti growing on the banks of
rivers; the eggs, which are white, being four or five in number, about
an inch and an eighth long by seven-eighths broad.
The sexes, as will be seen in the accompanying Plate, differ very
considerably in the colouring of their plumage; the young males during
the first two years cannot be distinguished from the female, except by
dissection.
The male has the head and back of the neck verditer green; throat, all
the under surface, edge of the shoulder and upper tail-coverts bright
yellowish green; back black; rump lazuline blue; wing-coverts deep rich
crimson-red; scapularies dark green, tipped with black; primaries black
at the base, with the external webs and the apical portion of the inner
webs deep green; secondaries black, edged with deep green, and one or
two with a tinge of red at the tip; tail green above, passing into
yellow at the tip, the extreme end fringed with pink; under surface of
the tail black, tipped with yellow and pink as above; irides reddish
orange in some, scarlet in others; bill rich orange-scarlet; feet
olive-brown.
The female has the head and upper surface dull green; under surface dull
yellowish green; a few of the wing-coverts crimson-red, forming a stripe
down the wing; rump pale verditer blue; tail-feathers more largely
tipped with pink than in the male; irides olive-brown; bill light
horn-colour.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
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