POLYTELIS BARRABANDIL, wazgu.

Barraband’s Parrakeet.

Psittacus Barrabandii, Swains. Zool. Mi st sen, pl 59:

Paleornis Barrabandi, Vig. in Zool. Journ., vol. ii. p. 56.—Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. Da 28a,
Polytelis Barrabandi, Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., pp. 489 and 519.—Gould in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV
Scarlet-breasted Parrot, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. Pel2ie lbs Gene Gish.) yolee pete

Paleornis rosaceus, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 30, female.

Psittacus sagittifer Barrabandi, Bourj. de St. Hil., Supp. to Le Vaill. Hist. Nat. des erp ple de

Green-leek of the Colonists of New South Wales.

 

Ix the great family of Parrots, few species are more elegant in form or more exquisitely coloured than
the present, which is a native of New South Wales, where it is more abundant in the interior than
in the districts near the coast. It is said sometimes to occur in the Illawarra district, but I did not suc-
ceed in finding it there myself. Living individuals are frequently brought down to Sydney by the draymen
of the Argyle county, where it appears to be a common species. When we know more of its history I
expect it will be found to inhabit similar localities, and enjoy a similar range to the P. melanura, and
that the two species as closely assimilate in their habits and economy as they do in form. It is some-
what singular, that the female of this bird, as well as that of the preceding species, should have been
described by the late Mr. Vigors as distinct ; fine figures of both form part of Mr. Lear’s “ Illustrations of
the Psittacide” ; the singular curve in the outer tail-feathers in Mr. Lear’s drawing of the female arises
from their being newly moulted feathers, which in this species have always a tendency to curve outwards,
at least such is the case with individuals kept in confinement.

From the length of its wings and the general contour of its body, we may feel assured that, like the
P. melanura, its power of flight is very great, and that it is doubtless enabled to pass from one part of the
continent to another whenever nature prompts it to make the passage.

The female, although equally graceful in form as her mate, is nevertheless much inferior to him in
the colouring of her plumage ; the green of the wings and body being less brilliant, and the rich colouring
of the crown and cheeks being entirely wanting ; a similar kind of plumage also characterizes the male
during the first year.

The male has the forehead, cheeks and throat rich gamboge-yellow ; immediately beneath the yellow of
the throat a crescent of scarlet ; back of the head, all the upper and under surface grass-green ; primaries,
secondaries, spurious wing and tail dark blue tinged with green ; thighs in some scarlet, in others grass-
green; irides orange-yellow ; bill rich red; feet brown.

The female has the face dull greenish blue ; chest dull rose-colour ; thighs scarlet ; the remainder of the
body grass-green ; primaries bluish green; central tail-feathers uniform green, the remainder bluish green,
with the inner webs for their entire length fine rosy red ; irides brown ; bill pale reddish orange ; feet dark
brown.

The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.