156 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



are rather more brilliant than in nature. Mr. Gould named the 

 bird Polytelis alexandrce, in honour of the Princess of Wales. It 

 is nearly allied to the Rock Pebbler (Polytelis melanura), common 

 on the Murray, and to the Green Leek (P. barrabanai) of New 

 South Wales and Gippsland, but may be distinguished at once 

 from all other Australian parrakeets by the patch of pale rose-pink 

 upon its throat. These living specimens are in the possession of 

 Messrs. W. J. Magarey and A. T. Magarey, and were brought 

 to Adelaide some months ago by Mr. T. G. Magarey, having been 

 taken from the nest in the neighbourhood of Charlotte Waters. 

 They are last year's birds, and evidently, from the difference in 

 plumage, male and female. In total length they measure about 

 fifteen inches, the tail being about nine inches. In the male, the 

 top of the head and lower part of the back are of a delicate 

 grey-blue, the back of the neck and upper portion of the 

 back dark olive-green, while the wing coverts are apple-green. 

 On the throat is a patch of pale rose-pink, extending down- 

 wards from the beak about an inch, and sideways to just below 

 the ears. The under surface is olive-grey, tinged with green, with 

 a little red on the flanks. The pointed tail is dull green above, 

 showing underneath crimson patches on the inner webs of some 

 of the feathers, the centre feathers being considerably longer than 

 the others. The bill is coral red and the iris orange. The 

 female has most of the colours of the male, but in a much less 

 marked degree, the blue on the head and back being more dis- 

 tinctly grey, and the reds (excepting the rose-pink on the throat, 

 which is almost as bright as in the male) much duller in hue. 

 Though they have not the brilliant plumage of some of our better 

 known parakeets, they have much delicacy of colouring, and are 

 remarkably attractive birds, extremely lively in their actions, very 

 inteligent, and the male a very good talker. Though the specimens 

 brought down by Mr. Waterhouse have disappeared since his 

 connection with the Museum ceased, I am sure that, under the 

 care of Dr. Stirling and of Mr. Zietz (the Assistant Director) any- 

 thing of such great rarity would be well preserved ; and to any 

 other museum or zoological gardens a pair of these birds would 

 be a very valuable acquisition, as probably not one of these 

 institutions in the world contains a single specimen. — I am, 

 sir, &c, 



" M. Symonds Clark. 

 " Knightsbridge, 20th August. 



"P.S. — I learn with pleasure that both of these birds will be on 

 view at the meeting of the Royal Geographical Society to be held 

 on Monday evening, the 25th inst." 



