PSEPHOTFS HJEMATOGASTER, Gould.
Crimson-bellied Parrakeet.
Platycercus hainatogaster, ia. Prge£of Z o o j^ S ^ lP ^ I V'p'ftQ
> ^ r a species of Parrakeet is aa.mhabitant of the mteriop"o?New-' South Wales, where it frequents the
borders of t{^ rivers \ r^ u i id *ill p e j, it i inge extends fer ta the northward; but, ip'
ow"■lt has nevcr been found ip Southern or'Tggstern Australia ; I® # wiirfi if'in tolerable
abundance in Jhi_ neighbourhood u f jlii Lower Namoi, where it appeared to give a decided preference
tp, those parts q f % plains which were of a JoosV mouldy df e c ter. and w jtC w ^K th e c o J ^ ! k j s back
-5Q-Sb>s|ly assimilates as to he scarcely distjnguighed from l& J j j f e th e other-members of the family, it is
Smutty ol)S rwd in suull lloik- ind^ o u <ijiiiriillv{ni'*||airs, 8j§3iijg upon the seeds o f the various grasses
abounding on the plains. 11 ^ K ^ vTiY.hem'ilii?bii i f rfb r' a ■'h'it^h-'ht alights on the branches, that thq
splendid scarlet of1 the b e l ly ,S u e d by thefyellOT'Sf the sides,; ia.^een to advantage; when thus^seen,
hgwever, tjyis &tr(ply beau ihi|juhject1.anil is s^gyeely excelled by any p tlWspecies of the group.
I did" i^tpseertglt-any particulars respecting-it^jjAficatiop, but-W? may easily shpjpSfe that it breeds in
the districts above mentioned, as I met with it tl)ere m.ttie height of th^, summer.
The male hagi the-forehead and faee ul£ram'ari«fi bine; crown of the head, upjpppsurface, sides of the
neck ancT'the chest greyish olive-hrown, washed, with, yellow QQ-jihiy rump and uppehtail-eoyer t s ; lesser
wing^coveyty g^gljKl.TCwiiter-gr.eeii and blue; greater eovertyjrili^ reddish chestnut; basal half of the
external wpbs of’tbs primaries and secondaries, and edge ol rhe Ving 'iieli indigo-blue S ^ d e r surface of the
shoulder light iqdigQ-blueinner webs andtto^nhfstln’ primaries dark brown; apinah hall erf" the external
web of the primaries fringed with grey ;= two.jg§*pi‘tail-feathers %hf Olive-green, passing into deep blue at
the tip ; the remainder deep blue a t thg bsge, largely .tipped wifb ,w}l|te,Jthe blue gradually blending with
the white on the external web; upper part of the abdomen and flanks priuirosu-yeilo,w; centre of the abdomen
and under tail-coverts crimson-red; irides (jjjjpjjr brown; nostrils amjefeet mealy brown; bilf liorn-
colour.
Tbe female differs in being smaller, and m’.^ ^ tg ffiu eh less brilliant in all her wfewBijmfelfe;«
The figures represent the two sexes the size of life.