THE SL'ALY-BREASTED LORH1KEET. 



383 



A VERY beautiful species of Parrakeet, and closely allied to the preceding bird, is the 

 BLUE-BANDED GRASS PARRAKEET, also a native of Australia. 



This pretty little Parrakeet is a pleasing and interesting creature, not at all uncommon in 

 its favorite localities. 



It is a summer visitor to Van Diemen's Land, where it remains from September to February 

 or March. Thickly wooded places are its usual haunts, as it feeds almost wholly on seeds 

 and grasses, and it is generally seen on the ground unless it has been alarmed. It congregates 

 in flocks, and appears to have but little fear of danger, and but very confused notions of placing 

 itself in safety ; for as soon as a flock is alarmed, they all rise screaming feebly, and after flying 

 for a hundred yards or so, again alight. During the short time that they are on the wing, 

 their flight is rapid and very irregular, reminding the European sportsman of the snipe, and 

 being not unlike that of the Ground Parrakeet already mentioned. 



It is a very quick runner, and displays great address in threading its way among the grass 

 stems. Sometimes when frightened it will fly to some neighboring tree and there perch for 

 awhile ; but it soon leaves the uncongenial branches and returns to the ground. As it is not 

 at all shy, a careful observer can easily approach the flocks within a short distance by moving 

 very slowly and quietly, and can inspect them quite at his ease through a pocket telescope, 

 that invaluable aid to practical ornithologists. As it is a hardy bird and bears confinement 

 well, it is rapidly coming into favor as a cage bird, and will probably earn great popularity, as 

 it is very easily tamed and of a very affectionate nature. 



The eggs of this species are six or seven in number, and are generally laid in a convenient 

 hole of a gum-tree, although the bird sometimes prefers the hollow trunk of a prostrate tree 

 for the purpose. 



The color of this bird is green with a slight brown wash ; the wings, the tail, and a band 

 over the forehead are beautiful azure, and around the eyes and on the centre of the abdomen 

 the color is yellow. 



SCALY-BREASTED LORRIKEET. Trichogtossits chioroleptdotut. 



THE pretty bird to which so extravagantly long a name has been given is also a native of 

 Australia, and is found only in New South Wales, being, though plentiful, very local. 



The SCALY-BREASTED LORRIKEET is a good example of a very large genus ; and as the 



