388 Zoological Society, 



Remark, — This species differs from all its Australian allies by the 

 more lengthened form of the tail and the conspicuous tuft of fea- 

 thers which spring from the fore-part of the head, and it is from this 

 character the specific name has been taken. 



Platycercus splendidus. Plat, capite, colli laterihus, et medio 

 pectore, coccineis ; genis albis ; dorso inferiore, et tectricibus caudcs 

 superioribus pallide viridibus ; lateribus pectoris, et abdomine 

 splendide fiavis ; crisso pallide viridi. 



Head, sides of the neck and centre of the breast scarlet ; cheeks 

 white, faintly tinged with blue ; feathers 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. 



Total length, 12 inches; bill, ^; wing, 6; tail, 7 ; tarsi, J. 



Another specimen, probably immature, has the general colour 

 similar, but has the head and breast pale yellow, interspersed with 

 scarlet feathers. 



Hab. Darling Downs, New South Wales. 



Remark. — Very nearly allied to, but a more beautiful species 

 than, the Platycercus eximius, from which it differs in the extent of 

 the scarlet on the breast, which in this species merely occupies the 

 centre, while in the former it forms a broad band across the breast ; 

 the rump also is of a paler green. 



** A Description of new species of Ostrea, in the collection of H. 

 Cuming, Esq.," by Sylvanus Hanley, Esq., was then read : — 



OsTREA Chemnitzii. Ost. tcstd obovalt, plerumque sinistrorsd, 



valde compressd, solidd, nitidd, luted aut sordide rubro-purpu- 



rascente, subtuberosd, nonnunquam paululum subvesiculosd, nullis 



' lamellis asperatd; margine plicato, intusque perscepe scabro ; plicis 



' plerumque parvis ; super fide internd albido-virescente ; cicatrice 



satis magnd, subreniformi. Long. 3 poll. 



Hab. China } Mus. Cuming, Hanley, &c. 



A species which is closely allied to rosacea, with a peculiar resi- 

 nous gloss, and invariably attached by the entire surface of the lower 

 valve. The colour varies from dirty yellow to dull reddish purple. 

 The apices are not much attenuated. The figure 994 of Chemnitz 

 is a fair representation. 



