iVESTS A.VD EGGS OF AUSTRAL! A A' BIRDS. jyj 



At the timo of a visit to the Wimmera district, Victoria (October, 

 1882), I foiuul ihu Furple-LTowucd Loiikcct had commenced breeding 

 in the taller trees, but was unable to procure the eggs myself. I also 

 noticed young of this species ui a karri ( L'iiC(i/i/pti/>: J forest in West 

 Australia, 6th October, 1889. It was not till 1893 that I had the 

 pleajjure of first describing the eggs before the Field Natiu'alists' Club 

 of Victoria, through the agency of Mr. W. White (a brother, by the 

 way, of the late Mr. Wlute, whose useful labours are frequently 

 mentioned by Gould). 



The first nest foimd by Messrs. W. and A. J. Wliite was in a hollow 

 spout of a giun-tree near Momit Barker, South Australia. It contained 

 one egg and three young newly hatched. Date, IStli Septembei-, 1886. 

 The parent birds came close by, and naturally exhibited great anxiety 

 during the operation of chopping the entrance large enough to obtain 

 the eggs. 



A set of three, that now adorns my collection, was taken by the 

 same gentleman at Dingo Creek, Mount Remarkable, 27th September, 

 1894. The nesting hole was in a large limb of a red-g^im growing on 

 the banks of the creek. 



I conclude with a note from Mr. White : — " It may iaterest you to 

 know that the Porphyiy-crowned Lorilceet nests during many months 

 of the year, according as the different species of eucalypts come into 

 flower, which produce their food. I amved at Flinders Range (some 

 two hundred and odd miles north of Adelaide) on the 19th September 

 (1894). There were then young birds on the wing, so some of the old 

 birds must have laid about the latter end of July. On October 6th, 

 when leaving the locality, I saw other birds were just beginning to 

 breed. These observations are borne out by Mr. Mnrray, the owner 

 of Warrabra station, a good observer, who says the Lorikeets nest in 

 batches from July to Januaiy, or as the different kinds of gum come 

 into flower. Other persons have seen them nesting in - December. 

 I could not ascertain if they nested twice in the year. My own 

 impression is that they do." 



Again, wiiting later (1st January, 1896), Mr. White says; — 

 " I send you another clutch of four eggs (vei-y uncommon to get the 

 quartet) taken by Mr. M. Miu'ray, near Stone Hut, Flinders Range, 

 25th May, 1895. I have a clutch of three taken on the 3rd May." 



469. — Glossopsittacus pusillus, Shaw. — (450) 

 LITTLE LORIKEET. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 54. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 71. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848) , 

 also Handbook, vol. ii., p. 104 (1865) ; North : Austn. Mus. 

 Cat., p. 268 (1889). 



Geographical Distribution. — Queensland, New South Wales, Vic- 

 toria, South Australia, and Tasmania. 



