Psittacus coccineus, Lth.

Blue Diademed Lory (Ger., Blaustiniger Lori, Diademlori Blaubrustiger Breitschwanzlori; Fr., Perruche Lori violette et rouge; Dut., Blauw en roode Loeri) - Description - Domestic Character.

It is greatly to be regretted that this lory, of which Mr. Scheuba, the noted connoisseur of Broad-tailed Lories, speaks as the most surpassingly splendid in colour, should be among the rarest in this country, especially as it has been known for a long period.

The head, throat, and front of the neck are carmine; across the crown of the head, from one eye to the other, there is a blue band; above and below the eye, reaching down to the neck on either side, there is a dark blue stripe; the neck and shoulders are blue; the hinder part of the back is dark carmine; the rump and upper coverts of the tail, purple brownish red; the quills red with black tips, a dull red on the reverse side; across the wing there is a black transverse band; the larger upper coverts of the wing, red, with a broad black edge; the coverts on the shoulder, purplish black; the edge and the lower coverts of the wing, red; the tail a dark reddish brown, the inner webs scarlet; all the lower part of the body carmine; the lower part of the breast and the belly striped transversely with dark blue; the thigh, blue, with red transverse stripes; the under coverts of the tail red, with blue spots; the beak a dull waxy yellow; the cere, bluish; eyes, reddish amber; featherless skin round them, blackish; feet, a bluish ashen grey; claws, black; size, nearly as large as the Black-bonnet Lory (length, 10 1/4in. to 10 5/8in.; wings, Gin. to 6 1/4in.; tail, 4 3/8in. to 4 3/4in.). It is a native of the Sangir Islands. This lory was described and named by Latham in 1790; older writers make no mention of it.

BLUE-BREASTED LORY. ( Psittacus coccineus).

Mr. A. B. Meyer informs us that he has found them occasionally in the Island of Celebes, and that they are brought by the native dealers to Manado for sale; and it frequently happens that they are then lost. In all the islands thereabout a lively trade is carried on in simple objects of art and natural curiosities - such as baskets, etc. - and among these the lories form an important item, because they are generally held in great favour as household pets. "A Blue-breasted Lory which I had," Dr. Meyer says, "was tame and affectionate towards my wife, but ill-tempered to me. It learnt, like all the lories, to speak just as clearly as other parrots, but not so easily and well as the cockatoos and eclecti; it prefers screaming and screeching instead of repeating the words and sentences which it knows. Most lories die on the journey, and therefore one sees them but seldom in Europe."

Mr. Scheuba adds the following particulars concerning a Blue-breasted Lory of his : "It is the quietest and most silent of all, and only utters its cry in the evening, and then it is not nearly as sharp and shrill as that of the others, but is rather a twittering or chattering; only when frightened does it utter screaming sounds. It is extremely easily frightened, and then very difficult to soothe. Otherwise, it is a very nice bird, showing great affection; and it is assuredly one of the most pleasant of the lories, for it is neither unclean of habit nor will it scream, and it soon learns to speak. Its talent, however, must not be rated very high, for it sits rather motionless and unsympathetic upon its perch. Another, which I got afterwards, was scarcely half the size, and with less blue on the hinder part of the body, not dull in parts on the wing, but, on the contrary, almost yellowish red. Figs and heads of millet are the favourite food of the first-mentioned bird, which has the peculiarity of going regularly at eleven o'clock at night to its food vessel and eating hemp, although the room may be in total darkness."

In Dr. Platen's collection there were seven specimens; but usually it is extremely rare in the trade.