It will appear extraordinary, that this very common sh.e.l.l should have been unknown to Linnaeus; and still more, that no other systematic writer should have noticed it, excepting Gmelin, by whom it is placed as a variety of _S.
gallus_, although his _S. raninus_ is obviously made from a bad figure in Knorr of this same sh.e.l.l. On referring to Mr. Dillwyn"s account of _S.
gallus_, I find all the references of Gmelin to this sh.e.l.l expunged; and a note at the head of the genus states, that _S. raninus_ is undeserving of notice; thus every trace of the sh.e.l.l, in this work, is altogether lost.
The two lobes at the top of the outer lip form a strong and peculiar distinction of this species: the colour of the mouth is variable; though usually tinged with pink, it is often reddish, or red blended with yellow, and sometimes nearly white; within the upper part of the aperture, round the inner lip, are one or two strong plaits, with sulcated grooves on each side; and near the lobe at the base of the outer lip, the aperture has a few obsolete striae: the nodules on the body whorl are triangular, and the two nearest the lip are, in general, very large: the channel (or base) is short, and turned up in an oblique direction.
Found, in great abundance, in various parts of the West India seas.
Pl. 154
[Ill.u.s.tration]
PSITTACUS Malaccensis,
_Blue-rumped Parrot._
GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 1.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
_P. viridis; vertice uropygioque nitide caeruleis; tectricibus interioribus, corporisque lateribus coccineis; cauda flavescente; rostro magno, dentato._
Green; crown and rump sapphire blue; inner wing covers and sides of the body crimson; tail yellowish; bill large, toothed.
P. Malaccensis. _General Zoology_, _vol._ 8. 2. _p._ 554.
Blue-rumped Parrakeet. _Lath. Syn. Sup._ 1. _p._ 66.
I think this may be the bird described (according to Latham) by Sonnerat, under the name of _Pet.i.te perruche de Malacca_, and from which both Latham and Shaw have framed their account of the Blue-rumped Parrot. On comparing their descriptions with the following, some differences and omissions will be found, but not sufficient, I think, to justify the idea of this being a distinct species: I have, as yet, seen only one specimen (and that not perfect) of this rare and little known bird.
Total length six inches; bill unusually large and strong, being three quarters of an inch (in a straight line) long, and nearly the same in height at the base; upper mandible with a sharp tooth in the middle, and reddish orange; under mandible violet grey; front and crown of the head violet blue, changing to blackish green on the back, and greyish green on the sides of the head, neck, and breast; body and vent green; rump and upper tail covers vivid azure blue; spurious wings greenish blue; wing covers dark but bright green, margined more or less with yellowish; quills blue green, their inner webs black; under wing covers and sides of the body crimson; tail short, even, the two middle feathers above green, the rest yellow with green edges and black shafts; beneath, these feathers are all yellow, the shafts white; the wings, for the size of the bird, are very long, measuring four inches and a half.
Pl. 155
[Ill.u.s.tration]
PSITTACUS viridissimus,
_Green Parrot._
GENERIC CHARACTER.--See Pl. 1.
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
_P. pallide viridis; pennis infra nitide thala.s.sinis; tegminum, remigum, scapulariumque marginibus flavescentibus; linea ante-oculari flava; rectricium basi rubra._
Pale green, quills beneath changeable sea-green; wing covers, quills and scapulars margined with yellowish; before the eye a yellow line; base of the tail feathers red.
The uniform green which pervades the plumage of this Parrot, induces me to think it may, possibly, be the female of some other species; a few pale red feathers, close to the axilla, and the faint red on the tail feathers, appear to strengthen this supposition. Among those species which are recorded, this approaches nearest to Latham"s Green Parrakeet; but the figure this writer quotes, (_Pl. Enl._ 837.) is at variance both with his description, and with the bird now before us; it may, therefore, be considered as undescribed.
Total length nine inches; bill pale; upper mandible three-quarters of an inch long, the margin undulated. The whole plumage is of a beautiful and delicate green, darkest above; with a tinge of blue on the crown, spurious wings, and greater quills; the orbits are naked, between which and the eye is a blackish line, bordered above by another of pure yellow; all the wing covers and quills are margined with yellowish. The colour of the inferior side of the quills is a pale but beautiful blue green, reflecting brighter tints of the same colour, when held in certain lights; the under side of the tail has likewise these reflections, but above is yellowish, with a dusky red spot at the base of each lateral feather: under the wings there are three or four dull red feathers; feet pale.
This bird is in my own collection, and is the only one I have as yet seen; neither am I acquainted with its native country.
Pl. 156
[Ill.u.s.tration]
FRINGILLA oryzivora,
_Paddy bird, Rice bird, or Java Sparrow._
GENERIC CHARACTER.
_Rostrum breve, validum, cra.s.sum, r.e.c.t.u.m, conic.u.m; mandibulae; superioris gibbae apice vix inflexo, integro; culminis convexi basi angulata. Nares basales, rotundae, pone culminis basin positae, plumulis vix obtectae. Pedes sedentes. Alae breves._
Bill short, strong, thick, straight, conic; upper mandible swelled, the tip slightly inflexed, entire; culmine convex, the base angulated.
Nostrils basal, round, placed behind the base of the culmine, and partially covered by the frontal feathers. Feet sitting. Wings short.
Generic Types. _Loxiae Javensis, Braziliana. Emberiza princ.i.p.alis, cicris. Tanagria caerulea, &c._ (Temminck.)
SPECIFIC CHARACTER.
_F. cana; capite caudaque nigris; rostro rubro; crisso roseo-albente; auribus (in maribus) niveis._