286 Mr.Vtcons's and Dr. HonsriErp's Description of the 
There was no specimen of this species in the collection ori- 
ginally brought to this country by Mr. Caley. That gentleman, 
however, makes the following reference to this bird, when speak- 
ing of the N. pulchellus. ‘* What is called the Ground Parrot at 
Sydney inhabits the scrubs in that neighbourhood. T have also 
seen it in similar situations elsewhere. I have never seen it 
except on the wing; it having started up before me, taking a ` 
short flight, and alighting among the bushes, but never to my 
knowledge upon them."—Our specimen was obtained by Mr. 
Brown at Bon SEU 4 Buy 25th, 1804. 
Génie: DOS EN x, 
Rostrum snboradeom ; niandibuld: superiore dilatatà, etin ro- 
tundo : inferiore lata, brevi, emarginata. | 
Ale mediocres ; remigibus tribus extimis ferè æqualibus, longis- 
simis ; secundæ tertiæ et dues pogoniis externis in medio 
gradatim latioribus. | : 
Cauda gradata ; rectricibus duabus mediis gracillimis, ceteras 
longitudine magnoperè excedentibus. 
Pedes; tarsis brevibus, debilibus ; unguibus mediocribus, sab- 
gracilibus, falcatis. 
Corpus gracile, concinnum. 
The birds of this genus, which are of peculiar interest as 
having formed the group of Parrots known to the ancients, are 
distinguished at once from those of the conterminous genera by 
the form of the tail, in which the two middle feathers con- 
siderably exceed the others in length. Other distinguishing 
characters may also be observed on comparing the generic de- 
scriptions. The group belongs chiefly to India, and some of 
the neighbouring islands in the Indian Ocean. One species 
only has been found in New Holland. This seems to possess 
* Ilaruos antiquus, and ogvis avis. 
the 
