TRICHOGLOSSUS VERSICOLOR, rig.

Varied Lorikeet.

Trichoglossus versicolor, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 36.—Selb. in Nat. Lib. Orn) voles Eauotsa pa los ple ole
We-ro-ole, Aborigines of Port Essington.

 

Tuere is no other species of the genus Trichoglossus yet discovered with which the present could be con-
founded ; 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 disco-
vered : 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 Kucalypti. 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 Melaleuce. 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 cerulean
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, mangimed 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.

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