BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 99 



SWIFT LORIKEET 



[Nanodes discolor, Shaw). 



Male. — General colour green; forehead, front part of cheeks, 

 throat, and under wing coverts scarlet; centre of the crown deep 

 blue ; sides of the head and ear coverts bluish ; lores and a band 

 bordering the red of the cheeks and throat yellow ; tail red-brown 

 tipped with blue, three outer tail feathers on each\side almost 

 entirely blue; tips of shoulders dark red ; upper wing coverts green ; 

 outer coverts blue; primary' coverts blue-l)lack; primaries black, 

 narrowly edged \Aith greenish-yellow on outer webs ; secondaries 

 green on the outer web, red mark on inner webs; under surface 

 green tinged with yellowish; under tail coverts scarlet, with 

 greenish-yellow edges; bill yellowish-brown; legs and feet light 

 brown. Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 255; bill, 13.5; wing, 126; 

 tail, 127; tarsus, 13. 



Female. — Similar to the male but duller. 



Young. — Similar to adults, but has the under tail coverts yel- 

 lowish-green, only the larger ones stained with red. 



Nest. — Within a hollow in the dead branch of a tree. 

 Eggs. — On the mainland two or three form a clutch, whereas 

 in Tasmania Mr. A. E. Brent is quoted by Mr. A. J. Campbell as 

 having taken many clutches of from four to six; roundish in 

 shape; texture fine, surface glossy; colour white. Dimensions in 

 mm. of odd examples :— (1) 23 x 20, (2) 24 x 20.5, (3) 23.5 x 20. 

 Breeding Seasoyi. — November to December. 

 Geogra-phical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, South Australia, and South Queensland. 



Observations. — This elegant Lorikeet may frequently be seen 

 feeding with other species in the flowering eucalypts. In some 

 districts it is moderately plentiful during the early summer and 

 part of the autumn months. As regards the general habits of the 

 species, I cannot do better than quote from Gould, as his remarks 

 accurately describe them. He wrote: — "During September and 

 the four following months it is not only abimdant in all the gum 

 forests of Van Diemen's Land, but is very common in the shrub- 

 beries and gardens at Hobart Town, small flights being constantly 

 seen passing up and down the streets and flying in various direc- 

 tions over the houses. They approach close to the windows, and 

 are even frequently to be seen on the gum-trees bordering the 

 streets, and within a few feet of the heads of the passing inhabi- 

 tants, being so intent upon the gathering of honey from the 

 fresh -blown flowers, which daily expand, as almost entirely to dis- 

 regard the presence of the spectator. The tree to which they 

 are so eagerly attracted is the Eucalyptus gihbosus. Their plumage 

 so closely assimilates in colour to the leaves of the trees they 

 frequent, and they moreover creep so quietly yet actively from 

 branch to branch, clinging in every possible position, that were 



