_J. Gould and H.C. Richter del^t._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
TRICHOGLOSSUS VERSICOLOR, _Vig._
Varied Lorikeet.
_Trichoglossus versicolor_, Vig. in Lear’s Ill. Psitt., pl. 36.—Selb.
in Nat. Lib. Orn., vol. vi. Parrots, p. 157, pl. 21.
_W̏e-ro-ole_, Aborigines of Port Essington.
There is no other species of the genus _Trichoglossus_ yet discovered
with which the present could be confounded; it is at once rendered
conspicuously distinct from all its allies by the narrow stripe of
yellow down the centre of the feathers of the upper and under surface;
it will not therefore be necessary to enter into a minute description of
its size and colour, particularly as the figures in the accompanying
Plate are of the size of life, and as near the appearance of nature as
it is possible to pourtray them.
The northern coast is the only part of Australia in which this elegant
little Lorikeet has yet been discovered: it is particularly abundant at
Port Essington, where its suctorial mode of feeding leads it, like the
other members of the genus, to frequent the flowery _Eucalypti_. Mr.
Gilbert says, “This bird congregates at times in immense flocks; when a
flock is on the wing their movements are so regular and simultaneous
that they might easily be mistaken for a cloud passing rapidly along,
were it not for the utterance of their usual piercing scream, which is
frequently so loud as to be almost deafening. They feed on the topmost
branches of the _Eucalypti_ and _Melaleucæ_. I observed them to be
extremely abundant during the month of August on all the small islands
in Van Diemen’s Gulf.
“The stomach is membranous and extremely diminutive in size. The food
consists of honey and minute portions of the blossoms of their favourite
trees.”
Could this species be transmitted to Europe, and a kind of food suitable
to it be discovered, it would form one of the most delightful cage-pets
that has ever been introduced.
The male has the lores and crown of the head rich deep red; round the
neck a collar of deep cærulean blue; back brownish green; wings green;
rump and upper tail-coverts light yellowish green; across the chest a
broad band of purplish red; under surface of the shoulder, abdomen,
flanks and under tail-coverts light yellowish green; all the feathers of
the upper surface with a narrow stripe of yellowish green; the stripes
being more yellow at the occiput, almost form a band; ear-coverts
yellow; all the feathers of the under surface with a narrow line of
bright yellow down the centre; on each side of the abdomen and down the
inside of the thighs stained with patches of purplish red; primaries
black, margined externally with deep green, with a fine line of
yellowish green on the extreme edge of the feathers; tail deep green,
all but the two middle feathers greenish yellow on their internal webs;
irides bright reddish yellow, with a very narrow ring of dark red next
the pupil; bill scarlet; cere and naked space round the eyes greenish
white; tarsi and feet light ash-grey.
The female resembles her mate, but is much less brilliant in all her
markings.
The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size.
[Illustration: