_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
POLYTELIS BARRABANDI, _Wagl._
Barraband’s Parrakeet.
_Psittacus Barrabandi_, Swains. Zool. Ill., 1st Ser., pl. 59.
_Palæornis Barrabandi_, Vig. in Zool. Journ., vol. ii. p. 56.—Vig. and
Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 287.
_Polytelis Barrabandi_, Wagl. Mon. Psitt. in Abhand., pp. 489 and
519.—Gould in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part IV.
_Scarlet-breasted Parrot_, Lath. Gen. Syn., vol. ii. p. 121.—Ib. Gen.
Hist., vol. ii. p. 121.
_Palæornis rosaceus_, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 30, female.
_Psittacus sagittifer Barrabandi_, Bourj. de St. Hil., Supp. to Le
Vaill. Hist. Nat. des Perr., pl. 4.
_Green-leek_ of the Colonists of New South Wales.
In the great family of Parrots, few species are more elegant in form or
more exquisitely coloured than the present, which is a native of New
South Wales, where it is more abundant in the interior than in the
districts near the coast. It is said sometimes to occur in the Illawarra
district, but I did not succeed in finding it there myself. Living
individuals are frequently brought down to Sydney by the draymen of the
Argyle county, where it appears to be a common species. When we know
more of its history I expect it will be found to inhabit similar
localities, and enjoy a similar range to the _P. melanura_, and that the
two species as closely assimilate in their habits and economy as they do
in form. It is somewhat singular, that the female of this bird, as well
as that of the preceding species, should have been described by the late
Mr. Vigors as distinct; fine figures of both form part of Mr. Lear’s
“Illustrations of the Psittacidæ”; the singular curve in the outer
tail-feathers in Mr. Lear’s drawing of the female arises from their
being newly moulted feathers, which in this species have always a
tendency to curve outwards, at least such is the case with individuals
kept in confinement.
From the length of its wings and the general contour of its body, we may
feel assured that, like the _P. melanura_, its power of flight is very
great, and that it is doubtless enabled to pass from one part of the
continent to another whenever nature prompts it to make the passage.
The female, although equally graceful in form as her mate, is
nevertheless much inferior to him in the colouring of her plumage; the
green of the wings and body being less brilliant, and the rich colouring
of the crown and cheeks being entirely wanting; a similar kind of
plumage also characterizes the male during the first year.
The male has the forehead, cheeks and throat rich gamboge-yellow;
immediately beneath the yellow of the throat a crescent of scarlet; back
of the head, all the upper and under surface grass-green; primaries,
secondaries, spurious wing and tail dark blue tinged with green; thighs
in some scarlet, in others grass-green; irides orange-yellow; bill rich
red; feet brown.
The female has the face dull greenish blue; chest dull rose-colour;
thighs scarlet; the remainder of the body grass-green; primaries bluish
green; central tail-feathers uniform green, the remainder bluish green,
with the inner webs for their entire length fine rosy red; irides brown;
bill pale reddish orange; feet dark brown.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
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