 The Mascarene parrot was scientifically described as Psittacus mascarinus ( abbreviated as " mascarin " ) by Swedish zoologist Carolus Linnaeus in 1771 . This name was first used by French zoologist and natural philosopher Mathurin Jacques Brisson in 1760 but was not intended as a scientific name . The name is a reference to the Mascarene Islands , which were themselves named after their Portuguese discoverer , Pedro Mascarenhas . 
