154 
There are some beautiful examples of this larger form in the Canterbury Museum. One of these has the 
crown silvery grey; the sides of the head and neck washed with sea-green ; the ear-coverts glossy golden yellow ; 
the feathers overlapping the lower mandible, and the whole of the throat and fore neck, rich vinous red with paler 
centres; the nuchal collar very broad, and composed of various shades of scarlet and yellow beautifully blended; 
the breast and sides varied with crimson and yellowish olive, blending on each feather, and across the former an 
indistinct pectoral band of yellowish grey; the rump, flanks, abdomen, upper and lower tad-coverts as m ordinary 
specimens but brighter in colour. In another example the small wing-coverts are pale orange-red, terminally 
margined ’ with black; while in a third the abdomen has a conspicuous, irregular patch of canary-yellow. An 
unusually fine specimen forwarded to me by Sir Julius von Haast for examination had the forehead of a rufous-orange 
colour ■ but this proved to be entirely the result of flower-stains, as I had no difficulty in demonstrating. This bird 
measured 20 inches in length, wing from flexure 12, tail 7'5, culmen 275, tarsus 1-6. The plumage of the upper 
parts was faded and snow-beaten, the ends of the primaries and tail-feathers being much worn and jagged. Crown 
and sides of the head grey tinged with dull metallic green; ear-coverts bright golden yellow witi ai ter ec es, 
breast and sides olivaceous brown, with a reddish hue; feathers composing the nuchal collar dull red wi go en 
tips ; those covering the shoulders marked in the centre with a large irregular spot of red and stained with golden 
yellow; rump and upper tail-coverts dull arterial red, each feather with a narrow terminal margin of blacv ; uncer 
surface as in ordinary specimens, but more largely suffused with yellow. , , 
In another example of the southern bird (in m, own collection, which contains a good senes) the crown and 
hind part of the head are light grey edged with darker grey; the feathers composing the nuchal collar are neh 
orange-red, narrowly barred with yellow and blaek , ear-covert, bright orpimeut orange changing into deep vinous 
red on the cheeks , the feathers overlapping the lower mandible edged with black ; the fere neck, breast, should s, 
and upper wing-coverts olivaceous brown margined with darker brown, and having, more or less, a green metallic 
lustre sides, Abdomen, rump, and upper tail-coverts dark red, banded with bright arterial red and dusky brown ; 
under tail-covert, dull red, tipped with brighter red, olivaceous brown at the base; q „, 11. olivaceous brown, lighter 
on the outer web largely toothed outlie inner one with pale orange-red ; lining of wing, and axillary plumes 
bright scarlet tipped with yellow, and banded, more or less distinctly, with brown ; tail-feathers, olivaceous brown 
taker in their Ipical portion, washed on their under surface with dull vinous red, and toothed with pale scarlet. 
P5ill uniform bluish erey; tarsi and toes dark bluish giey. .... , 
In another specimen the general colour, are altogether duller ; but there is more of the metallic lustre on the 
win£rs • the arterial-red bands on the rump and abdomen are wanting, the plumage of these parts bemg dai - icc 
edged with dusky brown or black; the lining of the wings is less brilliant; the toothed markings are paler on the 
quills, and far less distinct on the tail-feathers. 
A beautiful specimen in Mr. Reischek’s collection U ) has the light feathers of the crown tipped with yellow, 
the feathers of the nape deeply margined with oil-green, the nuchal collar broad and very richly coloured, the whole 
of the chin fore neck, and breast flushed with crimson ; abdomen, sides of the body, and under tad-coverts flaming 
crimson with transverse bands of a lighter colour; small wing-coverts metallic green, flushed in their apical portion 
with crimson and terminally margined with a narrow band of black ; rump and upper tail-coverts same as abdomen 
and crissum, but darker. 
' ” The following brilliantly coloured variety of N. meridional is was obtained more than twenty yearn ago m the 
„ „ - , nd is „„„ in the author’s collection, in theColoui.l Museum, at Wellington. General plumage 
S lri“’d“peron the lower part of hack, sides, and abdomen, and variegated with orp.mc.t-yc, low on 
Zlpe side, of the neck, and breast. Crown greenish yellow, with a metallic gloss, each fea her eutred w„h 
town! feathers overlapping the under mandible, and a broad patch on the throat, dark redd.sh brown, a, m 
ordinary examples. The feathers of the breast are stained in the centre w.th dull ashy brown, and, as well as those 
Z the upper parts, are narrowly bordered with black. Primaries dark olivaceous brown largely marked m them 
Lai portion with yellowish white ; secondar.es and their coverts pale scarlet, vanegated with yellow olivaceous 
town in their apical portion j all the quills on their under surface pale orange in then- basal port, on, but wrthont 
the toothed markings ; iining of wings vivid scarlet, varied with yellow. Ta, -feathers pale scarlet with a bread 
terminal band of olivaceous brown; under tail-coverts darker scarlet. On the bnght upper surface of the tail- 
feathers there are obsolete bars, and on the under surface there is a broad olivaceous margm; but the toothed 
character peculiar to the species is cutirel, wanting. Bill bluish grey ; feet dark grey, pale, on the soles; claws black. 
