Part 22

The female differs in being smaller, and in being much less brilliant in all her markings.

The figures represent the two sexes the size of life.

PSEPHOTUS PULCHERRIMUS: Gould.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

PSEPHOTUS PULCHERRIMUS, Gould. Beautiful Parrakeet.

Platycercus pulcherrimus, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. xv. p. 114.

The graceful form of this new Parrakeet, combined with the extreme brilliancy of its plumage, render it one of the most lovely of the Psittacidæ yet discovered; and in whatever light we regard it, whether as a beautiful ornament to our cabinets, or a desirable addition to our aviaries, it is still an object of no ordinary interest.

I regret to say that little is at present known respecting it, further than that it is one of the novelties that has rewarded Mr. Gilbert’s researches in New South Wales; the upland grassy plains of the east coast of Australia being the locality in which it was first discovered, and which is in fact the only part of the country wherein it has as yet been found. The specimens procured were shot on the Darling Downs, where it was observed in small families feeding on the seeds of grasses and other plants growing on the plains; the stomachs of those examined were fully distended with grass seeds exclusively.

The sexes, like the generality of the Psittacidæ, are much alike; but the female, although similarly marked, is much less brilliant and somewhat smaller than her mate.

Band across the forehead half an inch in breadth, scarlet, fading around the eyes, lores and cheeks into pale lemon-yellow, which again gradually blends with the green of the under surface; crown of the head and nape blackish brown; sides of the neck to the shoulders verdigris-green with yellowish reflexions; back greyish brown; rump and upper tail-coverts verditer-blue, the longer coverts with a band of black at their extreme tip; primaries and secondaries black edged with bluish green; shoulders with a spot of rich vermilion; under wing-coverts and edges of the pinions verditer-blue; two middle tail-feathers olive-brown at the base, gradually passing into greenish blue at the tip with olive reflexions; the three outer feathers on each side with a narrow zigzag band of black at about half their length from the base, then greenish blue to the tip, the inner webs fading into white near the extremity; throat and chest yellowish emerald-green, each feather tipped with verditer-blue; middle of the breast and the sides verditer-blue; abdomen and under tail-coverts scarlet; irides dark brown; bill horn-colour, becoming blackish grey at the base; legs and feet yellowish brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

PSEPHOTUS MULTICOLOR.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

PSEPHOTUS MULTICOLOR. Many-coloured Parrakeet.

Psittacus multicolor, Temm. in Linn. Trans., vol. xiii. p. 119.—Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. in Nova Acta, vol. x. p. 55.

Varied Parrot, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ii. p. 182.

Platycercus multicolor, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 283.—Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., vol. i. p. 528.

This species is strictly an inhabitant of the interior of Australia, being-found on the banks of the Lachlan, Murray and Darling, and according to the label attached to the specimen in the Sydney Museum, the neighbourhood of the Pink Hills. It is a true Psephotus and is closely allied to P. hæmatonotus, but differs from that and every other species of the genus in the patches or bands of colour which ornament the head, wings and rump; it is a species I did not meet with myself, and of which no information has been given by those travellers who have visited its native wilds; consequently nothing whatever is known of its habits and economy; it is still a rare bird, and to be found in few collections.

Much variation is found to exist in the colouring of this bird; some individuals having the band across the wing-coverts bright yellow, while in others the same part is tinged with red.

The adult male has the forehead and shoulders sulphur-yellow; under tail-coverts citron-yellow; rump crossed by three distinct bands of yellowish green, dark green, and reddish chestnut; occiput reddish chestnut; base of the primaries, secondaries and spurious wing, and the under wing-coverts rich deep blue; lower part of the abdomen and thighs scarlet; middle tail-feathers blue; the outer ones bluish green, passing into very pale blue at their tips; all the tail-feathers, except the four middle ones, crossed by a band of black near the base; remainder of the plumage deep grass-green; bill horny brown; legs wood-brown.

The female is attired in a similar style of colours, but is much less brilliant, has the throat and breast yellowish brown, and only an indication of the bands on the occiput and wing-coverts.

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.

PSEPHOTUS HÆMATONOTUS.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

PSEPHOTUS HÆMATONOTUS, Gould. Red-backed Parrakeet.

Platycercus hæmatonotus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 151; and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.

This species inhabits the interior of the south-eastern division of the Australian continent; it is abundantly dispersed over the Liverpool Plains, and all the open country to the northward as far as it has yet been explored; it also inhabits similar tracts of country in South Australia; on the plains around Adelaide it is seldom seen, but as the traveller advances towards the interior every succeeding mile brings him in contact with it in greater numbers. It is more frequently seen on the ground than among the trees; and it evidently gives a decided preference to open grassy valleys and the naked crowns of hills, than to the wide and almost boundless plain. During winter it associates in flocks, varying from twenty to a hundred in number, which trip nimbly over the ground in search of the seeds of grasses and other plants, with which the crops of many that were shot were found to be distended. In the early morning, and not unfrequently in other parts of the day, I have often seen hundreds perched together on some leafless limb of a Eucalyptus, sitting in close order along the whole length of the branch, until hunger prompted them to descend to the feeding-ground, or the approach of a hawk or other enemy caused them to disperse. Their movements on the ground are characterized by much grace and activity, and although assembled in one great mass running over the ground like Plovers, they are generally mated in pairs,—a fact easily ascertained by the difference in the colouring of the sexes; the rich red mark on the rump of the male appearing, as the bright sun shines upon it, like a spot of fire.

In the manner of its flocking and the situations it frequents, this bird is directly intermediate between the members of the genera Euphema and Platycercus; the same remark holds good also with respect to its form and structure; this fact, however, I have pointed out in the observations on the genus, and it is therefore unnecessary to repeat the details here.