130 Campbell, The Rosella Parroi (Plaiycevcus eximiiis). [^ 



Emu 



The Rosella Parrot (Platycercus eximius) : a Sketch. 



By a. J. Campbell, C.M.B.O.U. 



By the unvarying courtesy of the Curator (Mr. J. A. Kershaw, 

 F.E.S.) of the National Museum, I have had the privilege of 

 examining a large and valuable series of 84 Rosella skins {Platy- 

 cercus eximius) — 66 being in the " H. L. White Collection " and 

 18 in the National Collection. 



No Parrot is more common or more beautiful than the so-called 

 Rosella. Were it a rare bird the extreme beauty of its plumage 

 would have no bounds in our imagination. Literally, it wears 

 all the colours of the spectrum, in addition to black feathers and 

 white. The trivial name " Joey," or " Pretty Joey," was possibly 

 suggested by the ancient story of Joseph, who wore " a coat of 

 many colours," while the name " Rosella" is a corruption of the 

 bird's first name — " Rosehill Parrakeet," from a hill at Parra- 

 matta, near Sydney, where these Parrots were numerous in the 

 days of the pioneer settlers. From the earliest days of coloniza- 

 tion it has been a cage favourite. Nearly all of us, at one time 

 or other, have kept our Rosella, and at wild-bird shows Rosellas 

 are numerously exhibited. 



Common as the Rosella is, its life-history has not yet been 

 recorded. Better to work that out than endeavour to separate 

 impossible sub-species, as some of us are doing. However, in 

 the distribution of this fine species, and without " hair-splitting," 

 three varieties may be fairly understood, but I think the plumage 

 phases from youth to maturity are not yet properly known. 



First, there is the type locality bird {Platycercus eximius, 

 Shaw) of southern New South Wales, to which habitat may be 

 added Victoria and the adjoining portion of South Australia. 

 There is no appreciable difference in coloration of birds, say, from 

 the neighbourhoods of Lithgow and Melbourne, while a mature 

 male from Murrangur (N.S.W.) is absolutely indistinguishable 

 from a perfect male taken at Bungaree (Vic.) — the type locality 

 (Ballarat) of Mathews's sub-species colei* General distinguishing 

 colours : Mature male, head and breast scarlet-red, black feathers 

 of the back edged or scalloped with hght greenish-yellow, rump 

 yellowish or mineral green. 



Second, the northern race {splendidus, Gould) f is found in the 

 northern part of New South Wales and in South Queensland. 

 Mature male : the head and breast are lighter or brighter red 

 (inclining to scarlet) than in type birds ; black feathers of the 

 back edged rich yellow (lemon chrome) ; while the rump is light 

 Paris green. 



As before stated, all Rosellas are handsome, and the wonder 

 is that this, the finest race, was overlooked by the late Mr. A. J. 



* " Birds of Australia," vi., p. 360. 



t Not Psittacus splendidus (Shaw), an obsolete and synonymous name for 

 another species. On that account Mathews proposes the name cecihe for 

 Gould's splendidus {Nov. Zool., xvii., p. 14). 



