16 CLARK— A Now Bare Bird. 



A Now Rare Bird. 



By M. Symonds Clark. 



^Reprinted from the proceedings of the Field Naturalists' Sec- 

 tions of Royal Society, 1889.) 



The Swift Lorikeet (Lathamus discolor tregellasi) visits South 

 Australia at rather rare intervals. I have one which I shot near 

 Burnside in 1862, in which year they were rather numerous. 

 It was then about seven years since I had observed them. Sub- 

 sequently I have several times seen them in the neighbourhood, 

 the last time noted by me being in 1882, when they were plenti- 

 ful about the gum trees: one flock that I saw — a particularly 

 large one — containing perhaps nearly 100 birds. The name of 

 Swift Lorikeet, anyone who has observed a flock dash past 

 within a few yards of him will agree, is very appropriate. 

 Though not the most brilliant in colour, it is one of the most 

 beautiful of the Lorikeets. They are very common in Tas- 

 mania. When I was at Hobart in 1878 the curator of the 

 Museum there, told me that they came in great numbers when 

 the blue gum trees were in blossom. One of these trees grew 

 near the building, which had windows directly opposite one 

 another, and the Lorikeets would sometimes dash against the 

 clear glass and disable themselves. I have never seen this 

 bird tamed here, though I saw some living specimens in the 

 London Zoological Gardens in 1865. In the same year I went 

 i;o Gould's place of business to inquire about the "Handbook" 

 which I heard had just been published. In the office were 

 hung a number of the original drawings of his birds and mam- 

 mals, and among them I saw the representation of this 

 species. Gould had not seen the bird in South Australia, nor 

 was he aware that it visited our colony. The Swift Lorikeet, 

 unlike most of the honey-eating parrots, has a smooth tongue. 

 The upper surface is dark green, the under part pale green; 

 top of head dark blue; forehead, cheeks, and throat, pink; 

 shoulders maroon-red, passing into rich scarlet under wings; 

 the tail* which is pointed, has a chocolate hue on the upper 

 aide. Total length 9£ inches, the tail being 5 inches. 



