Misori Pygmy Parrot.
NasUerm pggmxa geelmMma (p t.), Schl. N. T. D. iv. p. 7 (1871).—Rosenb. Reist, naar Gbelvinkb. p. 137
• (1875, pt.).
— geelvmMana (p t.), Schl. Mus. P.-B. Psittaoi, Revue, p. 71 (1874).—Meyer, Sitz. Isis zu Dresden,
1875, p. 7-6 (p t.).—Beccari, Ann. Mns. Civic. Genov, vii. p. 714 (1875, pt.).—Finsch, Ora. Misc.
p. 160 (1876).
— misorienm, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov., vii. p. 909 (1875), x. p. 26 (1877).
— ----- - misorensis, Sclater, Ibis, 1876, p. 368.
F ob a comparison of the present species with N . maforemis, I may refer my readers to the Plates o f the two,
where it will be seen th at these Pygmy Parrots, although closely allied, appear to possess good specific
characters. I owe to the courtesy o f Dr. Meyer two mounted specimens o f the Misori bird, the male
having a widely spread mark of orange-yellow down the abdomen, a feature apparently wanting in the opposite
sex ; and Count Salvadori has also favoured me with a sight o f the type specimen obtained by Beccari.
All the males had brown heads, with a distinct lunate mark of yellow on the nape, while the females had the
brown suffused with bluish.
Count Salvadori writes to me :— “ This species is peculiar to the island of Misori, where Von Rosenberg
was the first to collect specimens. He obtained a male and two females, which Prof. Schlegel referred to
his Nasitema pygmtea geeleinkiana along with the Mafor specimens. When Beccari sent home examples
from both localities, I determined those from Misori as belonging to a different species from those o f Mafor.
“ The adult male is easy to distinguish by reason o f his brown head with a very conspicuous yellow spot
on the nape.
“ D r. Finsch has described (/. e.) two specimens of this bird collected by Dr. Meyer in Misori, which
Dr. Finsch seems to think is the same as Mafor. I should say th at his description o f the supposed male
has been taken from a female, and th at the description o f the supposed female was th at o f a young bird ;
one thing is quite certain, th at neither the one nor the other o f the specimens described by him were adult.”
I have received the following note from Dr. Meyer 1 " I noticed in my diary, under the heading of
N . pygmoea geelrinkiam from Mysore (Kordo) : |||C o l o u r o f the eyes orange-yellow; feet and claws
bluish grey, the nnderparts of th e feet somewhat yellowish. Bill bluish grey, the base o f the lower mandible
white. Cere black, the nostrils surrounded by an elevated thick fleshy ring. Head covered with many little
white parasites (lice). In the stomach the remains o f fruit.’”
I subjoin a description of the species, sent to me along with the synonymy by Count Salvadori.
“ Male. Green ; head brown, with a conspicuous yellow spot on the nape ; round the neck there is a
slight indication of a blue c o lla r; middle o f the breast and abdomen bright ochraceous yellow; under
tail-coverts and a spot a t the tip o f the inner web o f the three outer tail-feathers pure yellow ; the
two middle tail-feathers blue, with a small black spot, scarcely visible, near the tip ; the outer tail-feathers
edged externally with green, the spiny tip of the rectrices rather long ; bill strong, o f a greyish colour ;
iris orange-red. ( Beccari.)
“ Female. Green ; pileum brown, with the feathers o f the vertex edged with dull blue ; cheeks brownish
g re e n ; underparts yellowish green ; under tail-coverts yellow ; tail as in the male.
“ T otal length 3 '6 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 2 1 , tail 1-2.”
I have figured on the Plate two males and a female, of the size o f life ; and for the opportunity of figuring
these I have to thank Dr. Meyer, who, with his usual liberality, sent me over his fine specimens for the
purpose.