155 
A specimen in the possession of Mr. W. Luxford, at Wellington, has the prevailing colour a bright scarlet; 
but on the hack and wings each feather has a narrow terminal hand of blackish brown ; head and throat rusty- 
brown ; breast darker rust-colour, each feather broadly margined with yellow. Primaries canary-yellow on the 
outer web for one third of their length, then brown ; upper wing-coverts brown margined with scarlet. About two 
thirds of the tail pale scarlet ; there are then a few interrupted bands of brown, and the terminal portion is of that 
colour. This bird was shot in the hills near the town of Wellington in the early days of the colony, and before 
the requirements of the settlers had led to the destruction of the surrounding woods. 
Under this section may be placed a gorgeous example obtained in the Hawke’s Bay district, and sent by 
Mr. J. Baker to the recent Colonial and Indian Exhibition at South Kensington. It is somewhat similar to my 
Wanganui bird, but is more brilliant. Feathers of the vertex and crown orpiment-orange centred and narrowly 
margined with brown ; throat, cheeks, and many of the upper wing-coverts much as in ordinary specimens, being 
olivaceous brown, the normally coloured feathers irregularly marked and margined with pale scarlet ; shoulders 
and interscapulars olive-brown washed with crimson, banded with golden yellow, and narrowly margined with 
brown ; on the head and neck the brown centres almost disappear, whilst the feathers composing the nuchal collar 
are entirely scarlet, with broad golden-yellow margins ; the whole of the rump, abdomen, and lower sides of the 
body, with the upper and under tail-coverts, fiery scarlet, very narrowly and sparsely tipped with dusky black ; the 
breast is a mixture of dark brown, scarlet, and orpiment-orange, the latter predominating ; primaries and tertials 
dark olivaceous brown, the outer vanes pale canary-yellow towards the base ; secondaries pale scarlet for two thirds 
of their length, then olivaceous brown; tail-feathers with a similar extent of pale scarlet, then blackish brown with 
olivaceous tips ; but the colouring gets paler on the lateral feathers, fading to canary-yellow on the outermost vane 
and presenting only a tinge of scarlet on the succeeding one. Bill and feet as in ordinary examples. 
The tail-feathers in the Canterbury Museum found near Cass river (mentioned in Trans. N.-Z. Instit. vol. iv. 
p. 148) are exactly similar to those here described. 
Var. e. 
The following is the description of a very light-coloured variety obtained by the natives near the burning 
mountain of Tongariro, and presented to me by Mr. 11. W. Woon, R.M. 
General plumage pale canary-yellow ; the crown tinged with grey ; ear-coverts bright orange-yellow ; feathers 
of the throat, hind part of the neck, and some of the upper wing-coverts margined with the same ; feathers on the 
lower part of the cheek, and those overlapping the lower mandible, yellowish red, with paler shafts ; sides, abdomen, 
rump, upper and lower tail-coverts vivid scarlet, the feathers of the underparts narrowly margined with yellow ; 
lining of wings bright yellow tinged with scarlet; axillary plumes, and the soft feathers underlying the secondaries, 
bright scarlet, tipped with yellow ; quills pale canary-yellow on their upper surface, ashy on their under surface, 
with broad toothed markings of pale red, obsolete on the outer remiges, and diminishing on the secondaries ; tail- 
feathers ashy yellow, with brighter margins, tinged with orange in the centre and along the tips, changing on their 
under surface to orange-yellow, in their basal portion with narrow toothed markings of scarlet. Bill white liorn- 
colour. Irides dark brown. Tarsi and toes pale brown or flesh-coloured ; claws white horn-colour. 
The late Rev. R. Taylor, who resided more than twenty years on the Wanganui river, and who published 
many interesting notes on the natural history of the country, informed me that he had seen several examples of this 
beautiful variety from the same locality as the one noticed above. The natives assured him that they always pair 
together, nesting in the crevices of the rocks. 
Yar. 
I am indebted to Sir Julius von Ilaast for a specimen showing a very decided tendency to albinism, although 
still exhibiting the bright scarlet facings which adorn the others. In this bird the crown is greyish white, with pale 
yellow margins ; the nape dull crimson, with yellowish tips, forming a broad nuchal collar; ear-coverts bright 
orpiment-orange stained with red; feathers overlapping the lower mandible, and those covering the throat, pale 
vinous red ; fore neck and upper part of breast smoky grey, washed with red, and each feather tipped with dull 
yellow ; back and upper surface of wings smoky yellow tinged with gamboge; lining of wings and axillary plumes 
bright scarlet-red ; quills dark yellowish grey, obscurely toothed, and washed at the base with pale scarlet ; sides, 
flanks, and abdomen scarlet-red, tipped more or less with dusky and yellow; tail-feathers yellowish brown, with 
paler edges, washed on the under surface with scarlet, marked with dusky freckles, but not toothed ; upper and 
x2 
