the hollow of a gum-tree during October and the three following months ; they are one inch and an eighth 
long by seven-eighths of an inch broad. - 
Its natural food consists of seeds of various kinds, particularly those of different grasses, and occasionally 
of insects and caterpillars. : 
Its flight is short and undulating, and is rarely extended to a greater distance than a quarter of a mile, as 
the bird frequently alights on a leafless branch, always flying a little below it and rising again just before 
it settles. 
Its note is a somewhat pleasing whistling sound, which is very frequently uttered. 
The sexes are alike in plumage, and the young assume the bright colouring from the nest; the birds of 
the year, although they may have attained their full size, are not so brilliant as the adult, and may always 
be distinguished by the bill and nostrils being of a delicate gamboge-yellow. 
Specimens from Van Diemen’s Land are rather larger in size, and have the markings of the upper surface 
of a greener yellow, and altogether less brilliant than those from New South Wales: I possess a specimen 
killed on Mosquito Island, at the mouth of the Hunter, which is more brilliant than any other I have yet 
seen. 
Crown of the head, back of the neck, chest, and under tail-coverts scarlet ; cheeks white; feathers of 
the back black, margined all round with rich yellow ; rump, upper tail-coverts, and lower part of the belly 
pale green ; centre of the belly yellow ; shoulders and middle of the wing rich blue ; external edges of the 
primaries blue, the remainder of these feathers dark brown; two middle tail feathers green, passing into 
bluish green at the tip, the remainder of the tail-feathers dark blue at the base, passing into light blue, and 
tipped with white ; bill horn-colour; feet brown; irides blackish brown. 
The figures are of the natural size. 
