THE CRIMSON PAKKOT 



213 



Siih-famihj Platycercince. 



Key to the Genera. 



Tail not banded across from the base to the tip. 



Tail feathers rather broad, never acuminate at the ends. 



Back not uniform, but with the feathers black, broadly 

 bordered, and having a scale-like appearance, bill 

 notched. Platycercus. 



Back uniform, bill longer than deep, upper mandible 



notched, with the hook much lengthened. Porphyrocephalus. 



Bill deeper than long, upper mandible not notched, a yellow 



collar round the hind neck. Barnardius. 



No yellow collar round the hind neck, bill uniform with 

 base of upper mandible not lighter, two central tail- 

 feathers longer than the following pair. Psephotus. 



Four central tail-feathers about the same length. Neophema. 



Tail-feathers narrow and acuminate, upper mandible 



notched, orbital ring complete. Euphema. 



Upper mandible not notched. Melopsittacus. 



Tail with band across from the base to the tip, tail long, 



longer than the wing, nails long and straiglit, Pezoporus. 



Tail short, shorter than the wing, nails short and curved. G-eopsittacus. 



Genus Platycercus. 



Key to the Species. 



Cheeks blue, underparts crimson. P. elegans. 



Underparts pale red, each feather slightly fringed with 



yellow. P. adelaidEe. 



Underparts yellow, red band on forehead, middle tail- 

 feathers dull blue. P. flaveolus. 



Underparts jonquil-yellow, middle tail-feathers dark olive- 

 green. P. flaviventris. 



Cheeks white and blue, under tail-coverts red, head pale 

 yellow, underparts blue, edges of feathers on the back 

 bright yellow. P. pallidicepB. 



Edges of the feathers of the back straw-yellow, cheeks almost 



blue, only white on the upper part. P. amathusia. 



Head black, cheeks white, bordered with blue below. P. browni. 



Head red. P. erythropeplus. 



Cheeks white, head red, upper tail-coverts green, edges of 



the feathers on the back yellowish-green. P. eximius. 



Edges of the feathers of the back gamboge-yellow. P. splendidus. 



Cheeks yellow, head and underparts red, smaller, rump and 



tail-coverts green, central tail-feathers green. P. icterotis. 



Larger, rump and upper tail-coverts olive-grey, central 



tail-feathers dull blue. P. xanthogenys. 



The Crimson Parrot. 



Flatycercits elega)is. 



South Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. 



The adult male has the feathers of the back and scapulars black, 

 broadly edged with crimson, a broad black patch on the wing coverts, 

 the bend of the wing violet-bluBj four middle tail feathers deep blue, the 

 others deep blue at the base and lighter towards the end. The eggs 

 (4 to 8) measure 1.16 x .92 inch. 



