The genus Palaeornis, as characterized by Mr Vigors, is distinguished by having the bill thickish, with the upper mandible dilated, the culmen rounded, the tomia deeply toothed or emarginate, the inferior mandible wide, short, and emarginate. Tongue thick and smooth. Wings of mean length, the three first quills the longest, and nearly equal; exterior webs of the second, third, and fourth quills dilated near the middle, tapering towards the apex. Tail graduated with the two middle feathers slender, greatly exceeding the rest in length, with their tips rounded. Feet, the tarsi rather short, claws strong and falcate.

"The birds," Mr Vigors observes, "that compose this genus, are at first sight distinguished by their superior elegance and gracefulness of form. This character is considerably increased by the construction of the tail, the two middle feathers of which far exceed the rest in length." The different species of Palaeornis known to us, are inhabitants of continental India, its islands, and Africa, with the exception of the Palae. Barrabandi, which is a native of Australia. They are held in high esteem for their beauty, as well as for their docility and imitative powers, which seem equal, or hut little inferior, to those of the short and even-tailed kinds. Our 6rst figure represents the Barraband Ring Parrakeet.