The New International Encyclopædia/Lory

LORY (Malay, Hind. lūrī, nūrī). (1) Any of the small, brush-tongued, honey-eating parrots of the family Loriidæ (or Trichoglossidæ), which vary in size from that of a dove to that of a sparrow; the lesser forms are usually called lorikeets (or loriquets). The group includes about 90 species, and is confined to Polynesia and Australasia excepting New Zealand. These parrots, whose most important anatomical peculiarity is the structure of the tongue, which is tipped with a bundle of bristles, have a dense soft plumage, exhibiting the most rich and mellow colors; the tail is rounded, generally not long; the bill is feebler than in many of the parrots, and the upper mandible much arched. They are very active and lively, even in confinement, and are also of very gentle and affectionate disposition. Red, green, blue, and yellow are the prevailing colors of their plumage, and a remarkable sexual dimorphism exists, at least in the central genus (Eclectus), where the females are prevailingly green, while the males are red. Until recently the sexes were frequently considered different species. One of the most beautiful and interesting of the groups is the genus Domicella. For much curious information, and an extensive bibliography, consult Newton's article &ldquo;Lory,&rdquo; in Dictionary of Birds (London and New York, 1893-96). See Colored Plate of.

(2) A dealer's name for the Australian parrots of the genus Aprosmïetus, more usually called &lsquo;king lory.&rsquo;

(3) In South Africa, a turaco (q.v.).