Adult (sexes alike).—White; under tail-coverts vermilion edged with white; inner webs of remiges and rectrices sulphur-yellow much deeper on the latter and in some specimens tinged with red; sexes similar. Length, 300 to 350; three specimens measure, wing, 210 to 218; tail, 112 to 117; culmen from cere, 25 to 27; tarsus, 19 to 20. Iris bright red; naked skin around eyes, pale pink; bill dirty white; legs and nails bluish.
The ear-coverts are usually tinged with vermilion and the bases of crest-feathers are suffused with sulphur-yellow but both of these characters are variable. Bourns and Worcester killed two specimens in Panay in which “the plumage showed a peculiar faint pinkish tinge.”
The “catala” is usually met with in small flocks either in forest or fields; its presence is proclaimed by the conspicuous white plumage and harsh note. In the island of Ticao we observed this species nesting in holes in dead trees but we secured only young birds; these resembled the adult. Bourns and Worcester took nestlings in Masbate in May, 1888.
“Iris of females usually blood-red, sometimes brown. We are inclined to think red the normal color in fully adult females. Iris in males very dark brown to black; bare skin around the eye creamy white; bill drab, with white tip. Three females measure, 315 in length; wing, 206; tail, 110; culmen, 25; tarsus, 18; middle toe and claw, 38.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Family PSITTACIDÆ.
Bill with a series of transverse ridges under the hook; head uncrested; colors green and blue, or green, blue, and red; never white.
Subfamily PALÆORNITHINÆ.
Genera.
- a1. Larger; length, more than 250 mm.; wing, more than 125 mm.
- a2. Smaller; length, less than 190 mm.; wing, less than 115 mm.