] 'M PLATYCEKCIN.*. 



September and the four folluwiiiL; months constitute the usual breeding; season of this species 

 in South-eastern AustraHa. 



Of Plalyi ci'ciis splciididiis, Gould, I regret that we have only tliree adult and unlocalised 

 specimens in the Old Collection, of which nothing is known of their history. A young female 

 I shot on the Clarence River has the rump, upper tail-coverts and the lower portion of the 

 abdomen and the flanks pale greenish-blue, and similar to those portions of the plumage of 

 Platvceicns pallidiceps, but the forehead and crown of the head is like that of the young of P. 

 (wimiits, and not yellow as is shown in Gould's upper figure of P. sj^lcudidus in his folio edition of 

 the " Birds of Australia." There is a similar young female, procured by Mr. R. Grant at 

 Lithgow, and an unlocalised adult male of P. splendidiis, but differing in plumage in ha\ing the 

 greenish-yellow rump, upper tail-co\erts and abdomen of /'. <\iiiiiii<i. 



Platycercus icterotis. 



YELLOW-iHEEKED PAERAKEET 



I'sifhixiif ictrratis, Tenmi., Trans. Linn. Soc, Vol XIII., p. 120 (1^21). 



I'liUi/iyrcus iclerulin, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. V., pi. 29 (184.'^): ;<(? , Ilaiidbk. Bds. Austr., 



Vol. II., p, TiS (186.")) ; Salvad., Oat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XX,, p. .")3t (1.S91); .Sharpe, 



Hand-I. Bds,, Vol. II., p. 38 (lOOO). 

 Adult .MALK — (t'ihi ral i-nhnir ahticc i^rei'it : J'l'alliera of tin- nppt'r hark and scu/iu/ar.-; /rit/t hhickish 

 ceiUri's, ihtisr' of ihf linul-iicrk black, mafi/uiei/ trifh yfllotcishyre' u, xudw of tItiiiL imrtiaJly auh- 

 mari/inal/i/ iHirdrrfil irifh i/u/l scarlet .■ np/ir-r /viiig-cuvartg ihirk bln.f, ii'ij/t a black patch across Uic 

 lesser a,n(l mi-dian servs ; flte )niier (inater x^my-coverls yreea ivilli blackish, centres : i>riiaaries dark 

 blue oil t/ieir outer, blackish nn thiir nmcr n-ihs .■ secondaries yreen ati tlieir outer icehs blackish on, 

 their inner n:ebs, e.ccept the inner series, irhich are black marijined >cith yrecn ou their outer icebs : 

 four central tail-f'athers yrren, the remainder yreeuish-blue at their basi , pale blue on their apical half 

 and tipjiid with utliilr : clinks yellon- ; forehead, crowu of tJie Jtead, nope, sides of the neck, all the 

 under snrfnc-' and under tnil-corfrts scarlet : ''bill liy/tf liurn colour ; leys and f'et dull mhy-hrou.^n ; 

 iris hlackish-brinrn " (Gould). Total lenyth lO'7'i inches, u-iny ,')o, tod 'r^, bill O'l:, tarsus 0-(J, 



Distrihutiiin —Western Australia. 



/~|^HE ^■ellow•cheeked, or Earl of Derby's Parrakeet, or " Rosella " of the inhabitants of 

 J_ Western Australia, is freely distributed throughout the soutti-western portions of that 

 State. Collecting on behalf of the Trustees of the Australian Museum, in December, i868, and 

 January, 1869, Mr. George Masters procured a fine series of these birds in all stages of plumage. 

 .\t Broome Hill Mr. Tom Carter informs me it is very common, and that durin.g the latter 

 half of i()08 many of its eggs were destroyed in the \icinity by the felling of trees, preparatory 

 to burning off and utilizing that portion of the country for wheat lands. 



Specimens labelled as adult females are dull green above, with dark brown centres to the 

 feathers of the hind-neck, back, and scapulars, a band on the forehead dull scarlet ; sides of the 

 head and ear-coverts dull yellowish-green ; all the under surface dull green with broad dull 

 scarlet margins to the feathers of the fore-neck and breast; abdomen and under tail-coverts 

 scarlet. \\'ing 5-2 inches. 



Individual xariation is not uncommon in this species. .\n adult male in the .\ustralian 

 Museum Collection obtained by Mr. George INlasters at King George's Sound, in March, 1S69, 

 has the tips of the feathers of the hind-neck, upper back and the scapulars margined with scarlet, 



