Part 30

The Plate represents a male and a female of the natural size.

TRICHOGLOSSUS CHLOROLEPIDOTUS: Jard. & Selb.

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

TRICHOGLOSSUS CHLOROLEPIDOTUS, Jard. and Selb. Scaly-breasted Lorikeet.

Psittacus chlorolepidotus, Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. in Nov. Act., vol. x. p. 48.

Trichoglossus Matoni, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 292.

Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus, Jard. and Selb. Ill. Orn., vol. iii. pl. 110.—Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., p. 550.

The present Lorikeet is one of the four species of this genus inhabiting New South Wales, which portion of Australia may be regarded as its stronghold, for I have never even seen a skin from any of the other colonies; hence, like many other species, it is very local, confined as it were to certain limits, and those of small extent. To give any detailed account of its habits and mode of life would be merely repeating what I have said respecting the Trichoglossus Swainsonii, with which it frequently associates and even feeds on the same branch; it is, however, not so numerous as that species, nor so generally distributed over the face of the country. The brushes near the coast, studded here and there with enormous gums, towering high above every other tree by which they are surrounded, are the localities especially resorted to by it: in the interior of the country, on the contrary, where the Trichoglossus Swainsonii is equally as numerous as in the neighbourhood of the coast, I never observed it.

Its sole food is honey, gathered from the cups of the newly expanded blossoms of the Eucalypti, upon which it feeds to such an excess, that on suspending a fresh-shot specimen by the toes a large teaspoonful, at least, of liquid honey will flow from the mouth; hence, when we know this to be the natural food of the principal members of the group, how can it be expected that they can exist in captivity upon the hard seeds or farinaceous food so generally given as a substitute? A proper attention to the diet of these birds, by supplying them with food of a saccharine character, would doubtless be attended with the best results, and enable us to keep them as denizens of our cages and aviaries, as well as the other members of the family; and when it is considered that they are among the most elegant and beautiful of their tribe, I trust those who may have an opportunity will be induced to make a trial.

The Scaly-breasted Lorikeet breeds in all the large Eucalypti near Maitland on the Hunter, but I regret to say I did not procure its eggs, or any information respecting its nidification.

The sexes are so closely alike as not to be outwardly distinguished.

All the upper surface, wings and tail rich grass-green; a few feathers at the back of the neck and all the feathers of the under surface bright yellow, margined at the tip with a crescent of grass-green, giving the whole a fasciated appearance; under surface of the shoulder and base of the primaries and secondaries rich scarlet; bill beautiful blood-red, inclining to orange at the tip; cere and orbits olive; irides in some specimens scarlet with a circle of buff round the pupil, in others buffy yellow.

The figures are of the natural size.

TRICHOGLOSSUS VERSICOLOR: Vig.

J. Gould and H.C. Richter del^t. C. Hullmandel Imp. ]

TRICHOGLOSSUS VERSICOLOR, Vig. Varied Lorikeet.

Trichoglossus versicolor, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 36.—Selb. in Nat. Lib. Orn., vol. vi. Parrots, p. 157, pl. 21.

W̏e-ro-ole, Aborigines of Port Essington.

There is no other species of the genus Trichoglossus yet discovered with which the present could be confounded; it is at once rendered conspicuously distinct from all its allies by the narrow stripe of yellow down the centre of the feathers of the upper and under surface; it will not therefore be necessary to enter into a minute description of its size and colour, particularly as the figures in the accompanying Plate are of the size of life, and as near the appearance of nature as it is possible to pourtray them.

The northern coast is the only part of Australia in which this elegant little Lorikeet has yet been discovered: it is particularly abundant at Port Essington, where its suctorial mode of feeding leads it, like the other members of the genus, to frequent the flowery Eucalypti. Mr. Gilbert says, “This bird congregates at times in immense flocks; when a flock is on the wing their movements are so regular and simultaneous that they might easily be mistaken for a cloud passing rapidly along, were it not for the utterance of their usual piercing scream, which is frequently so loud as to be almost deafening. They feed on the topmost branches of the Eucalypti and Melaleucæ. I observed them to be extremely abundant during the month of August on all the small islands in Van Diemen’s Gulf.

“The stomach is membranous and extremely diminutive in size. The food consists of honey and minute portions of the blossoms of their favourite trees.”

Could this species be transmitted to Europe, and a kind of food suitable to it be discovered, it would form one of the most delightful cage-pets that has ever been introduced.

The male has the lores and crown of the head rich deep red; round the neck a collar of deep cærulean blue; back brownish green; wings green; rump and upper tail-coverts light yellowish green; across the chest a broad band of purplish red; under surface of the shoulder, abdomen, flanks and under tail-coverts light yellowish green; all the feathers of the upper surface with a narrow stripe of yellowish green; the stripes being more yellow at the occiput, almost form a band; ear-coverts yellow; all the feathers of the under surface with a narrow line of bright yellow down the centre; on each side of the abdomen and down the inside of the thighs stained with patches of purplish red; primaries black, margined externally with deep green, with a fine line of yellowish green on the extreme edge of the feathers; tail deep green, all but the two middle feathers greenish yellow on their internal webs; irides bright reddish yellow, with a very narrow ring of dark red next the pupil; bill scarlet; cere and naked space round the eyes greenish white; tarsi and feet light ash-grey.

The female resembles her mate, but is much less brilliant in all her markings.

The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size.

TRICHOGLOSSUS CONCINNUS: Vig. & Horsf.

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

TRICHOGLOSSUS CONCINNUS, Vig. and Horsf. Musky Parrakeet.