PLATYCERCUS SPLENDIDUS, Gowd.
Splendid Parrakeet.

Platycercus splendidus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIII. p. 105.

 

Tuar the gradual investigation of the interior of Australia will lead to the discovery of many new and
interesting objects, is proved by the recent acquisition of the lovely species here represented, which was
killed by Mr. Gilbert in the newly-located district to the northward of the Darling Downs in New South
Wales. In beauty it even exceeds the Rose-Hill Parrakeet, and is consequently one of the finest species of
the genus yet discovered. It differs from that bird in having the centre of the breast only of a rich scarlet,
the sides being gamboge-yellow ; in the lower part of the abdomen and the upper tail-coverts being verditer
instead of grass-green, and in the feathers of the back being broadly margined with rich gamboge instead
of greenish yellow. In the youthful state it very much resembles the P. palliceps, from which however it
differs in having the head yellow instead of pale yellowish white, and the breast yellow instead of pale
blue; the breast also has indications of the rich scarlet of maturity, of which no trace is at any time per-
ceptible in the P. pallceps.

Head, sides of the neck and centre of the breast scarlet ; cheeks white, faintly tinged with blue; fea-
thers of the back and scapularies black, broadly margined with gamboge-yellow ; lower part of the back and
upper tail-coverts pale green; on the shoulder a patch of black ; wing-coverts pale blue; primaries black
with the exception of the basal portion of the external web, which is rich deep blue; two central tail-
feathers dark green at the base, passing into deep blue on the apical half of the external web and tipped
with black ; the next on each side is black on the internal web, green at the base of the external web, blue
for the remainder of its length, and slightly tipped with white; the remainder of the tail-feathers are deep
blue at the base of the external, and black at the base of the internal web, the remaining portion of both
webs being pale delicate blue, passing into white at the tip; sides of the breast and the abdomen bright
gamboge-yellow ; vent pale green in some, in others pale bluish green; under tail-coverts scarlet ; irides
dark brown ; bill horn-colour ; feet mealy brown.

The figures are of the natural size, one representing the plumage of youth, the other that of maturity.