^"'■.o'^o'^'] <^AMPni:i.i., T/w Rosel/a Parrot (Platycercus eximius); 131 



North and ()tlu>rs until it was practically rc-discovcrcd and 

 established by Mr. il. L. Whiti' (see The Emu, xv., p. 169). 



(iould, who described splendid its over 70 years ago from a 

 specimen procured by Gilbert to the northward of the Darling 

 Downs, Queensland, records : — " In beauty it even exceeds the 

 common Kosehill Parrakeet, and is consequenth' one of tlie finest 

 specii'S of the genus yet discovered." 



Third, the insular (Tasmanian) form, (iould first pointed out 

 that " it was rather larger in size, and has the markings of the 

 upper surface greener yellow and altogether less brilliant than 

 those from New South Wales," while A. J. North added — " May 

 be distinguished by the conspicuously larger white cheek patch," 

 and proposed the name diemenensis for the race. Mature male : 

 liead and breast duller (spectrum) red than typical birds ; black 

 feathers of back edged with dull mineral green ; rump also dull 

 mineral green. 



Concerning the phases of the immature plumage of Rosellas, 

 North correctly states : — " Young birds are much duller than 

 the adults ; the feathers on the crown of the head and nape are 

 dull green, the white on the cheeks smaller, and the scarlet 

 feathers of the chest less in extent, and there is a white spot on 

 the inner webs of the quills, forming a bar on the wing." A. H. 

 Wheelwright, an observant naturalist, quoted by Mathews 

 (" Birds of Australia," vi., p. 357), states : — " In flight the young 

 show two clear, though narrow, white bars on the under surface 

 of the wings. These wing-bars extend over both primaries and 

 secondaries, and are not reproduced at the moult. The first 

 feathers to lose the bars are the four outer primaries." That is 

 practically all tliat is stated referring to distinguishing the 

 immature Rosella. Mr. Wheelwright mentions that the white 

 wing-bars are not reproduced at the moult. In the combined 

 collections before mentioned there are 22 females (the majority 

 apparently mature birds) ; all more or less (although in some 

 instances reduced to spots) show the white bars. Does the 

 female lose entirely these markings at any time ? It would appear 

 not. Again, in 18 mature males nearly all (15) show no sign of 

 the white bars. The interesting questions are — (i) At what age 

 do the males entirely lose the white markings ? and (2) What 

 are the progressive stages of obliteration ? Possibly some 

 Rosellas breed before the white markings are obsolete ; the Pennant 

 Parrot (P. elegans) has been known to breed in immature 

 plumage.* 



I had a female Rosella in a flight aviary for many years (it died 

 at the age of 21), and so far as I can recollect it always showed 

 the white wing-markings. I examined another female in a cage 

 lately, said to be about five years old ; the white markings were 

 present. It would appear that Rosellas enjoy fairly long hves — 

 at least, in captivity. In addition to the one mentioned above, 



* t'aini)l)tll, " Nests and Egj^s," ii., p. 630. 



