Psittacus bimaculatus, SPARRMANN; Perruche à Moustache; Der Zweyfleckige, Sittich, BECHSTEIN.
The length of this very beautiful parrot is fourteen inches, of which the tail measures more than half; its size is that of the turtle-dove, but very slender. The beak is large, orange-coloured, or pale blood red; the head of a fine ash colour, tinted with green on the top, and having a narrow black band on the forehead; the part near the eyes is naked, and pale flesh-coloured; the forehead light yellow; an almost triangular spot extends from the base of the beak across the cheeks to the throat; all the top of the body is meadow green, spotted with black. The under part of the body is of a deep rose colour.
There is a variety of this species with a black beak.
In the female, or what is supposed to be so, the forehead, the throat, the sides of the head and neck are pale orange colour; an oval black streak descends from the corners of the beak towards the throat; the nape, the top of the neck, the shoulders, back, rump, and upper part of the tail, are meadow green. The breast and belly, to the extremity, are of a fine green.
OBSERVATIONS.--This bird is very docile, amiable, and talkative. Its mildness is very pleasing, and it is extremely affectionate and caressing. Its cry is "_gaie, gaie, gaie_." It comes from the Islands of the Southern Ocean and Botany Bay.
Psittacus erythrocephalus, LINNÆUS; La Perruche cardinale; Der Cardinal Sittich, BECHSTEIN.
The length of this species is twelve inches, of which the tail, which is very wedge-shaped, measures six and three quarters. The beak is peach blossom, and the naked membrane ash coloured, the iris orange, and the feet grey. All the head is violet, tinted with blue and red; a black band surrounds the neck; the throat is black, the upper part of the body dark green, the under part light green.
In the female, the beak is yellow; the head of a dark blue ash-colour, without the ring round the neck; but the place of it is marked by a slight yellow tint. The young ones also have no ring, and the colour of the head is not marked; it varies from rose red to green.
1. The Blossom-headed Parrakeet, LATHAM; Psittacus erythrocephalus, LINNÆUS; Perruche à tête rouge de Gingi, Buffon; Der Rothköpfige Sittich aus Gingi, BECHSTEIN.