THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Polytelis swainsonii whitei Mathews, Austral Avian Rec., Vol. III., p. 57, 1916 : Tubbo, 
Riverina, New South Wales. 
Polytelis swainsonii swainsonii Mathews ib. 
Distribution : Interior New South Wales ; Victoria ; South Australia. 
Adult male. General colour above and below bright green ; bastard-wing and primary- 
coverts blue, more or less blackish on the inner webs ; primary and secondary 
quills bluish-green on the outer aspect and blackish-brown on the inner portion of 
the inner webs ; some of the outer tail feathers tinged with blue on the outer webs ; 
hinder crown tinged with blue ; fore part of head, throat, entire cheeks, reaching 
on to the sides of the neck, bright yellow ; a somewhat wide collar of bright scarlet 
across the fore-neck ; remainder of the under surface bright yellowish-green ; 
greater under wing-coverts, quill lining and tail below blackish with glossy reflec- 
tions, the short outer tail-feathers pale at the tips. Bill red ; eyes yellow ; feet 
mealy. Total length 420 mm. ; culmen 17, wing 187, tail 235, tarsus 16. Figured. 
Collected on the Murrumbidgee River, New South Wales, in June, 1895. 
Adult female. General colour above green, including the head, back, wings and middle 
tail-feathers, paler on the head, darker on the upper wing-coverts, inclining to 
yellowish-green on the back and innermost secondaries ; bastard-wing and primary 
coverts blue with the basal portion of the inner webs dark brown ; outer aspect 
of the flight-quills bluish green, the inner portion of the inner webs dark brown 
edged with yellowish-white ; middle tail-feathers bluish-green towards the tips 
like the outer portion of the lateral ones, the inner webs of the outer feathers 
broadly margined with rose-pink and yellow at the tips ; sides of face pale bluish 
green ; the feathers on the chin and throat inclining to greyish-green ; the remainder 
of the under-surface green becoming brighter and more yellowish-green on the 
lower abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts ; thighs bright red ; under wing- 
coverts and axiflaries emerald-green ; major under wing-coverts and quills below 
glossy dark brown, lower aspect of tail similar with broad pink margins to the 
inner margins and white tips to the outer feathers. Bill pink ; eyes yellow. 
Figured. Collected at Tubbo, Riverina, New South Wales, on the 7th of 
November, 1910. 
According to the birds described, it will be noticed that one of the chief distinc- 
tions of colour between the male and female is the red thighs in the female, while 
those of the adult male are green. 
Immature male. General colour above and below green, like the adult female, but differs 
in having some yellow feathers on the upper back, on the forehead, and fore part 
of the cheeks, a few orange-coloured feathers on each side of the neck, and a slight 
tinge of rufous appearing on the fore-neck. It will be observed that the thighs 
are red like the adult female. 
Nest. A hole placed high up in a tree. 
Eggs. Clutch, six. White. 25 to 28 mm. by 23 to 24. 
Breeding-season. October to December. 
As this bird is a native of the inland parts of New South Wales and Victoria 
it escaped detection by the earliest investigators, who were compelled to confine 
their activities to the neighbourhood of the coast. 
It was first described by Swainson from a “ skin in the possession of Mr. 
Leadbeater,” and was “ named in honour of the late M. Barraband, the first 
ornithological painter that France or any other country has produced.” In 
honouring M. Barraband Swainson had, however, been anticipated by Kuhl, 
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