Extinct birds : $b An attempt to unite in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical timesRothschild, Lionel Walter Rothschild, Baron
Science
Extinct birds : $b An attempt to unite in one volume a short account of those birds which have become extinct in historical times
Rothschild, Lionel Walter Rothschild, Baron
Birds; Extinct birds
Labat's translated description of this bird is as follows:--"Those of
Guadaloupe are about the size of a blackbird, entirely green, except a few
small red feathers, which they have on their head. Their bill is white.
They are very gentle, loving, and learn to speak easily."
No specimens known.
Habitat: Island of Guadaloupe.
{61}
NECROPSITTACUS MILNE-EDW.
_Necropsittacus_ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) XIX, Art. 3, p. 18
(1874).
Milne-Edwards considered _Necropsittacus_ closely allied to the genus
_Palaeornis_, and at the same time to show affinities with the _Loriidae_.
At the same time the two mandibles were sufficient, in his opinion, to show
that this bird belonged to a little generic group standing near
_Palaeornis_.
NECROPSITTACUS RODRICANUS (MILNE-EDW.)
_Psittacus Rodricanus_ A. Milne-Edw., Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) VIII, pp.
151-155, pl. 7, ff. 1, 2 (1867).
_Necropsittacus rodericanus_ A. Newt., P.Z.S. p. 41 (1875).
This parrot was described from a portion of the upper mandible by Professor
Milne-Edwards, and then was more fully described by Dr. Günther and Sir
Edward Newton, who examined a nearly complete skull and other bones.
A manuscript discovered in the Archives of the Ministry of Marine in Paris
proves that this bird only became extinct at a not very distant date, it
having been seen alive by the writer of the manuscript about the year 1731.
In this manuscript the bird was said to have a body considerably larger
than a pigeon, with a _very_ long tail and a _very_ large head and bill.
Unfortunately the writer does not mention the colour, but adds that the
smaller green and blue parrot (_Palaeornis exsul_) was much handsomer; so
we can safely assume that our bird was of sombre colouration. It was
undoubtedly closely allied to the genus _Palaeornis_. The two following,
though much brighter coloured and but scantily described, apparently belong
to the same genus.
Habitat: Rodriguez. {62}
NECROPSITTACUS(?) BORBONICUS NOM. NOV.
(PLATE 8.)
This parrot is described by the Sieur D.B. (Dubois) in the following
terms:--"Body the size of a large pigeon, green; head, tail and upper part
of wings the colour of fire." As he compares it with the other parrots
which are true _Palaeornis_, it is evident that this bird must have been a
_Necropsittacus_.
This description is the sole evidence we have of the existence of this
bird.
Habitat: Bourbon or Réunion.
NECROPSITTACUS(?) FRANCICUS ROTHSCH.
_Necropsittacus francicus_ Rothsch., Proceedings Int. Ornith. Congress
1905, p. 197 (1907).
Original description:--"Head and tail fiery red, rest of body and wings
green." We only know this bird from the descriptions in the various
"Voyages" to Mauritius in the 17th and early 18th centuries.
Habitat: Mauritius.
{63}
MASCARINUS LESSON.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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