44 



bird with his PI. Aucklandicus, although it is quite a distinct sj^ecies." On 

 the contrary, I think there is little room to doubt that both of the so-called 

 species ought to be united to PI. Roves Zelandice. 



Dr. Finsch's supposition that Platycercus unicolor, Vigors, in which the 

 frontal spot is wanting, may be the young state of PI. Novce, Zelandice is 

 certainly incorrect ; but as the specimen in the British Museum, on which the 

 description is founded, is acknowledged to be " the only one known," I have 

 not the least doubt that it is merely an accidental variety of the common 

 species. 



Like many other members of the large natural family to which it belongs, 

 this species exhibits a strong tendency to variability of colour, and the slight 

 differences which some of the ornithologists of Europe have recognized as sufficient 

 specific characters, ai-e of no value whatever. As a proof of this, I may here 

 notice four remarkable examples that have come within my own knowledge in 

 this country. 



(1.) A specimen of Platycercus Novce Zelandice brought to me by a native, 

 in the Kaipara District, many years ago, had the whole of the plumage of a 

 brilliant scarlet red. 



(2.) A specimen obtained in the woods in the neighbourhood of Wellington, 

 had the green plumage thickly studded all over with spots of red. This hand- 

 some bird was caged, and at the first moult the whole of the spots disappeared. 

 (3.) A young bird, brought to me from the nest, and not fully fledged, had 

 the plumage of the body pale yellow, shaded with green on the uj^per parts, 

 and the quills and tail feathers marked Avith red. 



(4.) In the summer of 1863, I obtained a very beaiitiful variety of the 

 common Platycercus au7-ice2?s, at Manawatu. I found it in the hands of a 

 labouring settler, who had purchased it from the natives for something less 

 than a shilling. Finding him unwilling to part with it, I tempted him with a 

 guinea, and secured the prize. It was a bird of the first year, and presented 

 the following appearance : — Frontal band crimson, vei'tex golden yellow ; space 

 around the eyes and a band encircling the neck green ; head, shoulders and 

 lower part of back red, the intermediate space variegated with red and green ; 

 quills dusky, obscurely banded with yellow, and margined on the outer vane 

 with blue ; wing coverts greenish yellow, barred and margined with red ; tail 

 feathers green, obscurely barred with yellow in their apical portion. Under 

 parts green variegated with crimson and yellow, an interrupted band of the 

 former colour crossing the breast. Like the spotted variety already mentioned, 

 within a short time it commenced to moult, and was fast assuming the common 

 green livery of the species, when it was accidentally killed. This specimen, 

 which still exhibits traces of its original colours, belongs now to the type 

 collection of the Colonial Museum. 



I think I may venture to assert, that had any one of these " occasional 



