48 BIRDS or AUSTRALIA. 



with scarlet ; two centre tail-feathers greenish blue ; the re- 

 mainder deep blue at the base, gradually becoming lighter 

 until almost white at the tip ; irides brown ; bill horn-colour ; 

 feet greyish brown. 



Total length 1 Scinches ; wing 7; tail 8 ; tarsi f. 



Sp. 417. PLATYCERCUS FLAVIVENTRIS. 



Yellow-bellied Parrakeet. 



Psitiacus flaviventris, Temm. in Linn. Trans., vol. xiii. pp. 116-118. 



brownii, Kuhl, Nova Acta etc., vol. x. p. 56, no. 90. 



Perruche a large queue, Le Vaill. Hist. Nat. des Perr., pi. 80. 

 Van Diemen's Parrot, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. ii. p. 130, no. 33. 

 Platijcercus flaviventris,Y'\g. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 281. 



caledonicus, p., Wagl. Mon. Psitt., p. 532. 



xanthoyaster, Steph. Cont. of Shaw's Gen. Zool.,vol. xiv. p. 120. 



Green Parrot, Colonists of Tasmania. 



Platycercus flaviventris, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, voL v. 

 pi. 24. 



The Yellow-bellied Parrakeet is dispersed over all parts of 

 Tasmania and the islands in Bass's Straits ; but is not con- 

 fined to particular localities like the Platycercus eximius, with 

 which it sometimes associates. It frequents every variety of 

 situation, from the low-crowned hills and gullies in the depths 

 of the forest to the open cleared lands and gardens of the set- 

 tlers. It runs over the ground with great facility, and when 

 observed in small flocks searching for seeds among the tall 

 grass, few birds are seen to greater advantage. 



I found this species very abundant on the banks of the 

 Tamar, and in one instance I saw hundreds congregated at a 

 barn-door among the straw of some recently thrashed corn, 

 precisely after the manner of Pigeons and Sparrows in Eng- 

 land. 



The sexes during the first year are not to be distinguished 

 from each other ; but when fully adult, the female is smaller in 

 size and less brilliantly coloured than the male. 



