ROSELLA. 
pt. xxvii. (Vol. V., pi. 28), 1847 ; Zuchold, Jour. fur. Ornith., 1858, p. 39 ; Gould, 
Handb. Birds Austr., Vol. II., p. 56, 1865 ; Salvador!, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., 
Vol. XX., p. 553, 1891 ; Hall, Key Birds Austr., p. 65, 1899 ; Campbell, Nests 
and Eggs, Austr. Birds, Vol. II., p. 637, 1901 ; Mathews, Handl. Birds Austral, 
p. 49, 1908 ; North, Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat. No. 1, Vol. III., p. 132, 1911 ; 
H. L. White, Emu, Vol. XV., p. 169, 1916. 
Platycercus eximius var. splendidus Finsch, Die Papageien, Vol. II., p. 191, 1868. 
Platycercus cecilce Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 14, 1911 : New name for 
P. splendidus Gould. 
Platycercus diemenensis North, Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat. No. 1, Vol. III., p. 128, 1911 : 
Tasmania. 
Platycercus eximius eximius Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 272, 1912 ; id., List 
Birds Austr., p. 133, 1913. 
Platycercus eximius cecilce Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 272, 1912 ; id., List Birds 
Austr., p. 133, 1913. 
Platycercus eximius diemenensis Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 272, 1912 ; id., 
List Birds Austr., p. 133, 1913. 
Distribution. Queensland ; New South Wales ; Victoria ; South-east South Australia ; 
Tasmania. 
Adult male. Entire head, hind-neck, sides of the neck, upper part of the cheeks, including 
the ear-coverts and breast encroaching more or less on to the middle of the abdomen 
beautiful red like the undertail-coverts ; back, scapulars, and innermost secondaries 
black, the feathers broadly margined with yellow becoming greenish on the outer 
margin of the scapulars and outer margins of the innermost secondaries ; inner, 
lesser and median upper wing-coverts black, the outer ones and those round the 
bend of the wing dark wedgwood-blue, becoming paler on the median and greater 
series like the axillaries and under wing-coverts ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, 
and outer aspect of the primary- and secondary-quills dark blue, paler on the outer 
edges of the primaries ; lower back, upper tail-coverts, flanks, and thighs very pale 
green ; middle tail-feathers bluish-green, the lateral ones blue at the base on the 
outer webs, dark brown on the inner ones, pale blue on the apical portion and edged 
with white at the tips ; lower cheeks and sides of the throat pure white ; a few 
feathers on the sides of the breast black margined with yellow ; sides of abdomen 
and sides of the body rich yellow ; under-surface of quills dark brown ; lower aspect 
of tail dark brown on the central feathers and pale iridescent blue on the later ones. 
Bill white with a bluish tinge ; eyes brown ; feet and legs dark grey. Total length 
330 mm. ; culmen 17, wing 167, tail 171, tarsus 20. Figured. Collected at Tingha, 
New South Wales in May 1909, and is typical cecilce. 
Adult female is similar to the adult male. 
Nest. A hole in a tree. 
Eggs. Clutch, 4 to 9. White, 26 to 29 mm. by 20-21. 
Breeding-season. September to January. 
The first discoverer of this most beautiful Parrot is not exactly known as it 
was not apparently Cook’s party. It was figured and named by Shaw and 
Nodder and the appropriate name of “ eximius ” was selected. 
VOL. VI. 
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