PLATYCERCUS SEMITORQUATUS, Quoy and Gaim.

Yellow-collared Parrakeet.

Psittacus semitorquatus, Quoy and Gaim.

Dow-arn, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia.
Dum-ul-uk, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.
Twenty-eight Parrakeet, Colonists of Swan River.

 

Tuts very noble species of Platycercus is abundantly dispersed over the greater portion of Western Australia,
where it inhabits almost every variety of situation, sometimes searching for food upon the ground like the
rest of its congeners, and at others on the trees; its chief food being either grass-seeds or the hard stoned
fruits and seeds peculiar to the trees of the country in which it lives. It is equally as abundant at King
George’s Sound as it is at Swan River; I have not been so fortunate as to obtain any precise information
as to the extent of its range over the continent, the only parts of the country from which I have received
specimens being the two localities mentioned above.

This fine bird, like the rest of the true Platycerc7, is entirely destitute of the os furcatum; hence, like
them, its powers of flight are very limited ; on the other hand it runs quickly over the surface of the ground,
as may be seen by all who have observed the bird in a cage, to which it is often consigned and sent to this
country as an ornament for the aviary, which it graces, both by its large size and the richly contrasted
colouring of its plumage. While on the wing its motion is tolerably rapid, and it often utters a note,
which from its resemblance to those words has procured for it the appellation of ‘‘ twenty-eight” Parrakeet
from the colonists; the last word or note being sometimes repeated five or six times in succession.

It begins breeding in the latter part of September or beginning of October, making no nest, but
depositing its eggs in a hole in either a gum- or mahogany-tree, on the soft black dust collected at the
bottom ; they are from seven to nine in number and of a pure white.

The sexes may be distinguished by the much smaller size of the female, and by her markings being much
less distinct.

Forehead crossed by a narrow band of crimson ; head blackish brown, passing into blue on the cheeks ;
back of the neck encircled by a band of bright yellow ; back and upper surface generally deep grass-green,
passing into pale green on the shoulders ; primaries and spurious wing blackish brown, the external webs of
each feather deep blue; two centre tail-feathers deep grass-green, the next on each side the same passing
into blue and ending in bluish white at the tip; the lateral feathers green at the base passing into blue,
which gradually fades into bluish white at the tip; chest green; under surface light green; irides dark
brown; bill light horn-colour, becoming of a lead-colour on the front of the upper mandible; legs and
feet dark brown.

The Plate represents the birds of the natural size.

“Eds V2.