INSESSORES. 67 



Sp. 429. PSEPHOTUS PULCHERRIMUS, Gould. 



Beautiful Parrakeet. 



Platijcercus pulcherrimus, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., 

 vol. XV. p. 114. 



Psephotus pulcherrimus, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. v. 

 pi. 34. 



The graceful form of this Parrakeet, combined with the 

 extreme brilliancy of its plumage, renders it one of the most 

 lovely of the PsittacidcB yet discovered; and in whatever light we 

 regard it, whether as a beautiful ornament to our cabinets or 

 a desirable addition to oiu: aviaries, it is still an object of no 

 ordinary interest. 



Little more is at present known respecting this bird than 

 that it is an inhabitant of the upland grassy plains of Queens- 

 land. Specimens were procured by Gilbert on the Darling 

 Downs, where it was observed in small families feeding on the 

 seeds of grasses and other plants growing on the plains ; the 

 stomachs of those examined were fully distended with grass 

 seeds exclusively. 



The sexes are much alike in plumage ; but the female is 

 less brilliantly coloured and somewhat smaller than the male. 



Band across the forehead scarlet, fading around the eyes, 

 lores, and cheeks into pale lemon-yellow, which again gra- 

 dually blends with the green of the under surface ; crown 

 of the head and nape blackish brown ; sides of the neck 

 to the shoulders verdigris-green with yellowish reflexions ; 

 back greyish brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts verditer- 

 blue, the longer coverts with a band of black at their 

 extreme tip ; primaries and secondaries black, edged with 

 bluish green ; shoulders with a spot of rich vermilion ; under 

 wing-coverts and edges of the pinions verditer-blue ; two 

 middle tail-feathers olive brown at the base, gradually passing 

 into greenish blue at the tip with olive reflexions ; the three 



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