6^8 NESTS .4.YZ? EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



505. — Platycercus ignitus, Lcadbeatcr. 

 FIERY PARRAKEET. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 30. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. .\x., p. 553. 



Geof/r/ipliiriil Disfribnliiiii . — South Qtiocnslnnd, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, and South Australia ( !)■ 



Obnervation.'i. — Although Gould at fir.st figured the Fiery Parrakcct 

 in its tiTily flaming colouring, ho aftci-wards believed the bii'd to be 

 an anomalous or a diseased variety of the common Rosalia (P. eximiua). 

 But Coiuit Salvadori has restored it to a sfjecies. I beUeve Gould's 

 second judgment is ncaxer the truth, and that it is not a good species. 



The original specimen, which Mr. John Leadbeater described in 

 1837. was stated to have been prociu'ed in the district of Brisbane. 



Dr. Cliarles Ryan has in his collection a similar beautiful bird, 

 which was shot in Victoria. There is in the Geelong Museum a speci- 

 men, as far as I can recollect, resembling the ordinary Rosella, but 

 with upper tail coverts red (scarlet) instead of green, thus making a 

 kind of connecting link between the Rosella and the so-called Ficrj' 

 Parrakeet. Again, in Gould's figure of the latter bird there arc white 

 markings on the wings, which appear on those parts in immature 

 Rosellas. 



Mr. A. Coles, the well-known taxidermist, states three or four 

 examples of Fiery Parrakeets, including both sexes, have passed 

 through his hands, and he believes the species to be distinct. 



I was once in\'ited to inspect a very beautiful Pan'ot, alive, at a 

 gentleman's residence. Toorak. Its general plumage was a rich yellow, 

 passing into white at the primaries and the extremity of the tail, 

 while the crown of the head, throat and abdomen dowm to the imdcr 

 tail coverts were scarlet. The cheeks were white, which proved the 

 bird was a lusus nafurce of the Rosella species. 



506. — Platycercus icterotis, Tcmminek. — (424) 

 YELLOW-CHEEKED PARRAKEET. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi, ag. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 554. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia (1848), 



also Handbook, vol. ii., p. ^g (1.S65) ; Le .Soupf : This, p. 45S 



(1900). 



Geographical Dixtrihufinn. — South (?) and West Australia. 



]Ve.^t. — Within a hollow .spouted limb or trank of a tall tree in 

 thick forest. 



E!/f/.<<. — Clutch, .six to seven; colour, white. Dimensions: -92 x 8 

 inches (Gould). 



