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CYC LOPS ITT A DIOPHTHALMA.
Double-eyed Perroquet.
Psittacula diophthalma, Hombr. et Jacq. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 2nd series, xvi. p. 318 (1841).—Gray,
Gen. B. ii. p. 423 (1846).—Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Psittaci, p. 75 (1864).—Id. Nederl. Tijdsch.
Dierk. iii. p. 331 (1866, p t.).—Finsch, Die Papageien, ii. p. 628 (1868, pt.).
Cyclopsitta double ceil, Hombr. et Jacquiuot, Voyage Pôle Sud, Atlas, pi. 25 bis, figs. 4, 5 (1842-1853).
Cyclopsitta diophthalma, Jacq. et Pucberan, Voy. Pôle Sud, texte, iii. p. 107 (1853).—Bonap. Rev. et Mag. de
Zool. 1854, p. 154.—Sclater, Proc. Linn. Soc. 1858, p. 106.—Wallace, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 284 (pt.).
Opopsitta diophthalma, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 227.—Rosenb. J. f. 0 . 1864, p. 115.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1873, p.
697.
Cyclopsittaeus diophthalmus, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, x. p." 28 (1877).—Id. tom. cit. p. 120 (1877).
O ur knowledge o f the present beautiful little species is unfortunately very lim ited ; and at present we are
unaware o f any thing connected with its habits and economy, although these are doubtless precisely similar
to those o f the other Cyclopsittce. Its chief habitat appears to be the north-western portion of New Guinea,
where it has been collected by Signor D’Albertis and by Dr. Meyer near Andai, and in the Arfak Mountains
by Mr. Bruijn and Dr. Beccari, while a good many specimens are contained in the Leiden collection from
Kalwal in Salwati, where they were obtained by the late D r. Bernstein. I t appears likewise to be plentiful
in the island of Mysol, where Mr. Hoedt obtained a considerable series from the neighbourhood o f Kasim
and Waaigama. Count Salvadori also mentions its occurrence in the island o f Koffias, on the authority of
specimens in Count Tu rati’s museum. The original examples, procured by MM. Hombron and Jacquinot,
are said to have come from Southern New Guinea.
The following is a description o f an adult male bird from Mysol:—
General colour above bright grass-green; wing-coverts a little darker green than the back, the outermost
o f the lesser coverts blue, as well as the outer greater coverts, primary-coverts, and primaries, the latter
black on the inner webs, the secondaries green, with a bright orange patch on the inner web of the dorsal
secondaries ; tail green, forehead and sinciput red, fading into yellow on the hiuder crown, lores and sides
of face also red, the ear-coverts with a blue streak across the middle, separating the red face from the hinder
ear-coverts and sides o f neck, which are green ; in front o f the eye a spot o f cobalt-blue ; under ur face o f
body bright grass-green, lighter on the centre o f the body, the flanks with dashes o f bright yellow; under
wing-coverts bluish green ; quills blackish below, yellow on the inner webs, as also across the lower greater
coverts. Total length 5 -8 inches, wing 3*6, tail 2*0.
According to Professor Schlegel, th ere is no difference in the coloration o f the sexes; but the young birds
always have the forehead as far as the top o f the head tinged with red, duller than in the adults, while the
red colour o f the cheeks is replaced by clear yellowish brown, changing to red more quickly in the males
than in the females. A young male is also described by Count Salvadori as being similar to the old female,
but much smaller, with the red colour on the upper p a rt o f the head tinged posteriorly with yellow, while
the cheeks are greyish buff margined below and behind with azure blue, and from the forehead a thin red
line extends underneath the eyes to the region o f the ear-coverts. Signor D’Albertis gives the colour of the
eyes as black.
My own specimens of this bird a re in very fine condition, having been obtained from Mr. Wallace’s expedition
; so th at I have been able to institute exact comparisons between the present species and C. aruensis,
the result being th at I am perfectly convinced o f the specific distinctness of these two little Perroquets, and
have given figures o f the two in the present work.
T he Plate represents an adult and a young male o f the natural size, drawn from skins in my own collection.