the Birds of North Queensland. 645 



that two of them hatched out before they were blown. 

 They are white in colour, with a slight gloss^ subspherical in 

 form, and measure : A 34 x 28-5, B 345 x 29, C 35 x 28 mm. 



93. ^Ptistes erythropterus (Gm.) ; Salvad. t. c. p. 481. 

 " Four specimens from Cooktown. 



" Found in forest-country, generally in parties of two or 

 three, but occasionally in flocks. They nest in hollow trees, 

 generally about ten to twelve feet from the entrance, and lay 

 two or three eggs " {Olive). 



P. coccineopterus Gould, of which there is an authentic 

 specimen from Port Essington in the Derby Collection, is 

 almost inseparable from the true P. erythropterus. It is 

 undoubtedly slightly smaller than specimens from Moreton 

 Ray, but the difference is inconsiderable, and does not appear 

 to be constant, as Salvadori {loc. cit.) has observed. We 

 cannot recognize the differences in coloration mentioned by 

 Mr. Le Souef (Ibis, 1899, p. 360). 



94. *tPLATYCERCUs AMATHUsiA Bp. ; Salvad. t. c. p. 548. 

 " A ground bird, living on seeds ; generally found in 



parties of two or three, but by no means plentiful. Iris 

 brown ; feet slate-grey; bill white ^' (Olive). 



This species is one of the rarer of the Australian Psittaci, 

 and though widely distributed over the northern portion of 

 the continent seems to be nowhere plentiful. Like many 

 specimens of its near ally, P. paUidiceps , the present species 

 is frequently irregularly flecked with red about the head. 

 Two out of three skins before us are so marked. 



95. ■^fPLATYCERCUs ELEGANs NiGRESCENS Rams. ; Salvad. 

 t. c. p. 543, note. 



We have five specimens of this race from near the summit 

 of Bellenden Ker; they agree well with Mr. Ramsay^s 

 diagnosis, except that he describes it, possibly by a lapsus 

 calami, as having ''the feathers on the head, hind-neck, and 

 back almost all black," In our specimens the head is dark 

 red, uniform in colour with the lower surface. 



" Very plentiful but shy. Found in flocks and pairs, but 



