Art. IX.—Note on a Species of Platycercus (P. erythrotis, Wagl). from Antipodes Island.

Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, Volume 24, 1891, Page 190

Art. IX.—Note on a Species of Platycercus (P. erythrotis, Wagl). from Antipodes Island. By H. O. Forbes. [Read before the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury, 1st October, 1891.] I have lately had an opportunity of examining a species of Platycercus from Antipodes Island, on which I offer the following observations:— In general appearance the bird resembles its near relative, Platycercus novæ-zealandiæ, but it is unmistakably larger and more robust. In general plumage the Antipodes bird is dark yellowish-green, and of a lighter shade still on the wingcoverts, owing to a bright edging of orange to the feathers, while on the under-side the green is conspicuously yellower than in Platycercus novæ-zealandiæ. Compared with it, the Antipodes specimen has the crimson patch on the forehead as large, or, indeed, a little larger, and somewhat lighter in colour, and has the streak in front of the eye orange-red, while the ear-spots are narrower and extend less far back. Both birds present a distinct spot of scarlet on each side of the rump. On the nape there is in both sexes the same concealed nuchal patch of yellowish-white, but it is smaller in the Antipodes specimen. The wing-feathers of the latter are dull greenish-black, having the under-surface lighter and crossed by two obscure, broken yellowish bands, composed of yellowish blotches on the secondaries and secondary coverts. The outer primaries and their coverts are deep-blue on their external webs, but only along a band next the shaft, and ceasing at the notch, being followed, except on the coverts, by a second narrow band of yellowish-green, succeeded by a bright edging of greenish-yellow, more marked distally, and disappearing in the dusky terminal spot. The bastard quills are pale greenish-blue, with a yellowish-blue termination. Irides yellow. Upper mandible, for three-quarters of its extent from the tip backwards, deep-black, the rest whitish-blue. In P. novæ-zealandiæ the black colour of the upper mandible is confined to the tip, and is a character of great constancy in the New Zealand birds. Lower mandible black; legs and feet bluish-black. The dimensions of the leg-bones fully demonstrate the greater strength of the bird in this region as compared with its New Zealand congener.

P. novæzealandiæ. P. ex Ins. Antip. Tarsus 0.875 1.075 Tibia 1.6 2.075 Femur 1.1 1.275 Humerus 1.0 1.25 Ulna 0.875 1.375 The width between the extreme edges of the ulna and radius is more than twice as great in the Antipodes as in the New Zealand bird. The Antipodes Island specimen is therefore, though nearly related to P. novæ-zealandiæ, a larger-boned bird. Sir Walter Buller, in his “History of the Birds of New Zealand,” says that “Dr. Finsch is of opinion that P. (Cyanorhamphus) saissetti, Verr., is inseparable from his species [P. novæ-zealandiæ]. On comparing a specimen sent by Mr. Edgar Layard from New Caledonia to the Otago Museum, I find that the bird differs from P. novæ-zealandiæ only in having the sides of the face, throat, breast, and under-parts generally greenish - yellow, deepening into grass-green on the sides of the body and on the flanks. If, however, this is a constant character, I accept it as specific” (vol. i., p. 139). In the Ibis for 1879, p. 110, Mr. Layard, in writing of C. saissetti, says, “It closely resembles Platycercus novæ-zealandiæ, Sparrm.; … but on comparing it with specimens of that bird it is at once seen to be larger, has a yellower green on the under-side of the body, a bluer tinge on the upper side of the tail-feathers, and these last are rounded at the ends, not pointed as in the former.” The present specimen unfortunately lacked its tail. The predominance of the yellower shade in the green would appear, from what I have said above, to be a constant character; so also would the larger size. I believe, therefore, the Antipodes Island parrakeet to be the same as that found in New Caledonia—i.e, Cyanorhamphus saissetti, Verr. On examining the synonymy of this bird, I find it to be as follows:— Platycercus erythrotis, Wagl., 1825. P. (Cyanorhamphus) saissetti, Verr., 1860. P. novæ-zealandiæ, Buller, nec Sparrm. P. novæ-zealandiæ, Finsch. The parrakeet inhabiting Antipodes Island is therefore Platycercus erythrotis, Wagl.; and it is found also in New Caledonia, the Macquaries, and Norfolk Island. It will be interesting to ascertain whether the species found abundantly on the Campbell Islands, as reported by Mr. Chapman, is the larger and yellower-green species or the true P. novæ-zealandiæ.