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THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
about Austin’s Ferry, and I have never seen any between that place and 
Hobart, although plentiful on the opposite side of the river. At Austin’s 
Ferry it still breeds in fair numbers, although the Starling is gradually taking 
possession of every nesting-place, to the exclusion of native birds of similar 
nesting habits. The clutch is generally from six to eight. On one occasion 
a friend and myself found no less than four nests of this Parrakeet containing 
eggs, and one of the Tree Martin ( Petrochdidon nigricans) in the same tree, a 
Eucalypt.” 
Much of the scientific history of this species appears in the previous notes. 
In the Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 14, 1911, I replaced the invalid name 
Platycercus splendidus Gould by the new name Platycercus cecilce. When I drew 
up my “ Reference List to the Birds of Australia” (Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII, 
1912), I examined the specimens available, and reduced that species to sub- 
specific rank, and thus admitted three subspecies : — 
“ Platycercus eximius eximius (Shaw and Nodder). New South 
Wales, Victoria. 
Platycercus eximius diemenensis North. Tasmania. 
Platycercus eximius cecilce Mathews. South Queensland, New South 
Wales.” 
This arrangement was maintained in my List of the Birds of Australia , 
1913, but here I have to take into consideration the new facts adduced by 
H. L. White. It will be noted that he has practically endorsed my conclusions, 
but has extended the range of the last-named form more to the south. 
The re-examination of the material now in hand has shown that four forms 
can be recognised, of which Gould’s splendidus = cecilce is the most doubtful. 
Thus I find similar coloured specimens right down to Sydney, so that some 
earlier name might be just as well used. As, however, Mr. H. L. White 
has proved that there is an ill-marked subspecies in the north-east of New 
South Wales, we can admit this. When series are criticised, as Mr. White 
admits, there are many intermediate specimens, but if we now compare a 
series of Victorian birds, these constitute a much more valid subspecies, as 
the yellow of the back is missing, the greenish tips being smaller, the rump 
being of a greenish shade, while underneath the coloration of the abdomen 
is greener. I propose to name the Victorian subspecies. 
Platycercus eximius colei subsp. nov. 
Type from Ballarat Victoria. Collected in May, 1886, 
a male, No. 343, in my collection. 
The Tasmanian bird is darker still, with longer white cheeks and also 
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