THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
edgings, these grey edgings being replaced by scarlet with age. Moreover, in 
this immature phase the central tail-feathers were undoubtedly blue. As 
Gould and most other observers have noted, i.e., Campbell, the immature of 
the coastal bird has the back uniform green, the two middle tail-feathers green. 
Judging from these specimens, Ogilvie-Grant had good grounds for dis- 
criminating two species, but that he knew his conclusions were not unassailable 
is seen by the remark that one of his “ icterotis ” came near “ xanthogenys .” 
I conclude from an examination of many specimens that the interior bird 
may bear the subspecific name xanthogenys and the coastal one icterotis. It 
may be, however, that many subspecies may be determined as any series 
shows differences in accordance with locality, but as they also show variation 
this cannot be at present decided. It is possible that we have here a dimorphism 
in the juvenile stages such as has been recorded in connection with elegans 
and flaveolus, that is, that sometimes the young are uniform green, while 
at others they have the mottled back of the parents. However, with the 
birds available, the uniform phase is restricted more to the coast, while the 
mottled phase is more inland. This would be in accordance with Milligan’s 
theory quoted above and also in agreement with Whitlock’s suggestion. The 
matter is not quite so simple as birds are found close to comparatively 
the coast which seem to come near xanthogenys. Thus the birds recorded 
by Hartert from Beaufort and Cranbrook would belong to icterotis, and not 
to xanthogenys as they had green rumps. The interior bird which would be 
true xanthogenys has the rump grey. Mr. Tom Carter has suggested that at 
Broome Hill the birds take three years to assume the glorious red colouring, 
and this may be so, but at Southern Cross it appears that a similar coloration 
is achieved in much less time. 
I therefore conclude we can certainly recognise two subspecies at the present 
time, a coastal and an inland form, but it is possible that more may be 
hereafter accepted. 
Platycercus icterotis icterotis Kuhl. Coastal. 
This form has the back in first plumage uniform green : later the feathers 
have black bases with green tips, the rump green and the two central tail- 
feathers green. This is the form named P. stanleyii Vigors and P. i. salvadori 
by me. 
According to Whitlock who collected the latter form, this coloration was 
constant. However, in the Broome Hill district, as recorded by Carter and 
specimens are now before me, senile birds acquire rufous tips to the back feathers, 
and the central tail-feathers come blue. These old birds approach typical 
xanthogenys closely, but are separable by the greener coloration of the rump. 
In a very old specimen, the rufous tips are worn off, leaving the back almost 
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