46 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



the first autumn the young birds are clothed in a plumage 

 of a nearly uniform green ; to this succeeds a parti-coloured 

 livery of scarlet, blue, and green, which colouring is con- 

 tinually changing until the full plumage of maturity is as- 

 sumed; and hence has arisen no little confusion respecting 

 this species in the writings of the older ornithologists, and it 

 is not to be wondered at that its synonyms are so numerous. 

 The adult male has the head, neck, all the under surface, 

 the rump, and upper tail-coverts rich deep crimson-red ; the 

 feathers of the back and scapularies black, broadly margined 

 with rich crimson-red ; the cheeks and shoulders coerulean 

 blue ; the greater wing-coverts pale blue ; the primaries and 

 secondaries black, with the basal half of their external webs 

 margined with deep blue ; the two centre tail-feathers green, 

 passing into blue on their margins and at the tip; the 

 remainder black on the inner webs for three-fourths of their 

 length ; deep blue for nearly the same length on their outer 

 webs, and largely tipped on both webs with pale blue, which 

 becomes still paler to the tips of the feathers ; bill horn- 

 colour ; irides very dark brown ; feet blackish brown. 



Sp. 416. PLATYCERCUS ADELAIDENSIS, Gould, 



Adelaide Parrakeet. 



Platycercus adelaidia, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part viii. p. 161, 

 Pheasant Parrot, Colonists of South Australia. 



Platycercus adelaidise, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v. pi. 22. 



This beautifid Platycercus is a native of South Australia, 

 and from the circumstance of my having procured some of my 

 finest specimens in the very streets of the city of Adelaide, 

 I have been induced to give it the specific name of ade- 

 laidensis. In all probability the bii'd may in a few years be 

 looked for in vain even in the suburbs of this rapidly increas- 

 ing settlement, as it is too large a species and possesses too 

 many attractions to remain unmolested ; indeed it was much 



