88 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



ORDER— PSITTACI : PARROTS. 



FAMILY-LORIID/E (3 species). 



BLUE-BELLIED LOKIKEET 



[Tnclioglossus novie-lwllandice, Gm.) 



Male. — Head blue; nape yellowish-green; back, tail, and wings 

 green; breast yellow, more or less stained with red, except on the 

 sides; also some faint, narrow blue cross-bars on breast; middle 

 of the abdomen blue ; flanks green, bases of feathers yellow stained 

 with red ; under wing coverts red ; bill red tipped with yellow ; legs 

 and feet dark brown to blackish. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 

 302; bill, 17; wing, 167; tail, 137; tarsus, 13. 



Female. — Practically similar to male. 



Young. — Resemble the adults save that the yellow-green band 

 on the nape is scarcely visible ; also the red stains on the yellow' 

 breast are practically absent. 



Nest. — Within a hole in a branch or the trunk of a tree. 



Eggs. — Clutch two; round in shape, with one end somewhat 

 compressed; texture fairly fine; surface almost without lustre; 

 colour white. Dimensions in mm. of odd examples: — (1) 27.5 x 

 24, (2) 27 X 23.5, (3) 26.5 x 23. 



Breeding Season. — October to December. 



Geographical Distrihulion. — Tasmania and practically the 

 whole of the mainland. 



Observations. — From New Norfolk, in 1871, came the first 

 record of this handsome Lorikeet for Tasmania. Both in March 

 and October of that year were specimens procured from the same 

 district. The Blue-bellied Lorikeet does not take up a permanent 

 abode in any locality except where the food supply is constant. 

 As a rule it moves from district to district, following the lines of 

 the flowering eucalypts. It is only %vhen its natural food becomes 

 scarce that it turns its attention to fruit, &c. 



It is a fine sight to see a flock of this species wheeling and 

 flashing in the bright sunshine. Both w^hen on the wing and when 

 feeding it is very noisy. 



I cannot obtain any particulars of the eggs of this species ever 

 haviri" been taken here. 



MUSK-LORIKEET 

 {Glossopsittacus concinmis, Shaw). 

 Male. — General colour green; forehead, lores, and ear coverts 

 red ; crown of the head distinctly tinged with blue ; hind-neck and 

 upper part of the back olive-brown ; inner webs of the quills black- 

 ish ; sides of the breast more or less vellow ; bill blackish-brown, 



