THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 175 



be more subject to partial or complete albinism than any other 

 Australian bird. Mr. North also records a semi-hybrid. 



468. Trichoglossus nov^-hollandi^, Gmel., Blue-bellied 

 Lorikeet. 



In collection of Mr. A. Coles, Melbourne. 



In this specimen rich yellow is the predominant feature. The 

 entire head, throat, and upper breast are delicate red, the exposed 

 part of each feather, except in upper breast, having the rachis 

 and extremity white, but on the forehead traces of violet show 

 along the rachis of many feathers. Broadly speaking this delicate 

 brick-red head, streaked with white, should be blue on first 

 glance, or if examined more closely a violet-brown, broadly 

 streaked along the middle of each feather with rich blue-grey, 

 rather duller than we see it in Malurus cyaneus. The whole of 

 the neck, back, and tail should be green, with a bar of greenish- 

 yellow in the nape, and one of clear red and yellow in the inter- 

 scapulum, but this bird is rich yellow, except in the majority of the 

 upper tail coverts, rump, and extremity of therectrices; the edgings 

 of the outer webs of each tail quill show the green faintly on the 

 centre ones, deepening in order as the quills expand. The wings 

 above and below are yellow, the primaries having their quills 

 (rachis) white, while the tips of the inner primaries and second- 

 aries are green. The humeral plumage is principally green. The 

 abdomen, instead of being violet, as with the normal head, is red, 

 in conformity with head of this one, while the chest is yellow 

 instead of being red with another grade of yellow. 



Comparing this specimen with a normal one it is noticed that 

 violet has given place to red and green to yellow. 



It is probable that the bird known as T. verreauxius is simply 

 an abnormal form. 



472. Glossopsittacus concinnus, Shaw, Musk Lorikeet. 



In National Museum collection, Melbourne. 



In this specimen the forehead and auricular patch are venous 

 red instead of arterial red, the hinder crown and nape muddy 

 yellow, with a trace of indistinct red. The azure blue has given 

 way to what appears a double layer. In the tail there are trans- 

 parent reds, while on the chest and abdomen there is a greenish- 

 yellow, with a trace of green on the flanks. 



The general appearance of the bird is thus yellow, with a 

 tendency to green, instead of the deep green of a normal 

 specimen. 



498. Platycercus elegans (pennantii), Gmel., Crimson Parra- 

 keet. 



{a.) In National Museum collection, Melbourne. 



Crown, breast, and under tail coverts marked by red as in 

 young birds ; cheeks normally blue ; abdomen yellowish, instead 



