THE GROUND PARRAKEET. 



377 



This most lovely bird is found in New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, and although 

 very plentiful in places which it frequents, it is a very local bird, haunting one spot in 

 hundreds, and then becoming invisible for a range of many miles. In the open country it 

 lives in little companies like the preceding species, and is even more familiar, being exceedingly 

 inquisitive, as is the nature of all the Parrot tribe. Plentiful as it is, there are few birds which 

 are likely to suffer more from the gun, as its plumage is so magnificent and its form so elegant 

 that it is in great request among the dealers, who are always sure of a sale when the beautiful 

 skin is properly stuffed and put into a glass case. 



The wings of the Rose-hill Parrakeet are not very powerful, and do not seem capable of 

 enduring a journey of very great extent, for the bird always takes opportunities of settling as 

 often as it can do so, and then after running along the ground for awhile, starts afresh. The 

 flight is composed of a succession of undulations. The voice of this species is not so harsh as 



HOSE-HILL PARRAKEET. Platycercus eximiut. 



that of many Parrots, being a pleasing and not very loud whistle, which is often uttered. As 

 the bird is a hardy one, and can bear confinement well, it is coming much into fashion as an 

 inhabitant of the aviary, and will probably be brought away in great numbers. The natural 

 food of the Rose-hill Parrakeet consists of seeds, a diet which it varies by eating many 

 kinds of insects, a food which every Australian bird can have in the greatest variety, and 

 without the slightest fear of stint. 



ALTHOUGH not endowed with the glowing hues of the preceding species, the GROUND 

 PARRAKEET is a remarkably pretty and interesting bird. 



This species derives its name from its ground-loving habits. Mr. Gould says that it never 

 perches on trees; but the author of "Bush Wanderings in Australia" remarks that he 

 has seen it perching upon the tea-tree scrub. From its peculiarly pheasant-like shape and 

 habits, it is sometimes called the pheasant by the colonists. It is a very common bird, and is 

 found spread over the whole of Southern Australia and Van Diemen's Land. 



It is remarkable that this bird, which has much of the outline of the pheasant, should 



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