528 NESTS AVD EGGS OF AUSTRAL/AN BIRDS. 



Expedition at the camp near the Fitzroy River, Mr. North, who critically 

 examined the bii'ds of the Expedition, pronoimces these Parrots similar 

 in colour and size to examples from Eastern Australia, except in having 

 the tail feathers sliglitly more yellowish-gi-een. Therefore I may be 

 justified, on geograpliical gi-ounds only, in keeping the birds separate. 



Mr. Keartland gives a gi'aphic field note of some eggs taken : — " On 

 March 18th, Mr. Arch. Blyth pointed out a tree uito which he had 

 noticed one of these birds enter. As we approached the tree a bullock- 

 wlup was cracked several times, but the bird sat close until the limb was 

 struck, when she emerged from a hollow branch about forty feet high. 

 A native was sent up, but holes had to be cut along tlie horizontal limb 

 and down the inmk until the nest was located, about six feet from the 

 groiuid. The foiu- partly-incubated eggs it contained were simply 

 deposited on the decayed wood at the bottom of the hollow." 



Breeding season, usually December to March. 



493. — Aprosmictus cyanopygius, Vieillot. — (409) 

 KING LORY. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 17. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 4S6. 

 Frevious Description of Eggs. — North : Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 255 

 (iSSy). 



Geographical Dintrihutinn. — Queensland, New South Wales, and 

 Victoria. 



Nest. — Within a hollow limb or tnmk of a giant-tree (eucalypt), some- 

 times as far down as the base, in heavy forest coxmtry. 



Eyg^. — Clut<'h, four to six ; roundish in shape ; texture of shell 

 coarse ; surface slightly glossy, but somewhat rough, being minutely 

 pitted and with here and tltere a limy nodule; colour, ptu'e white. 

 Dimensions in inches of a clutch: (1) TS x 1'08, (2) l*!27xl'll, 

 (3) 1-21 X 1-06. 



Obscrvnfionft. — This splendid species, with showy scarlet head and 

 under surface, may well be called a " King " Parrot. It ranges through 

 the wooded tracts of Eastern Australia from uear Cape Yorl<* to Ca.i)e 

 Otway. It is a familiar bird in Gij)])sland, where its shrill, high-pitched 

 single call-note frequently resoimds through the forest depths. 



Although the bix-d is fairly plentiful, the eggs are exceedingly rare, 

 for the rea,son that it usually builds in the highest of trees. I only know 

 examples of eggs in three collections, namely, the Maclcayan Maseum, 

 Sydney, thr National Museum, Melbnurnc, and in (lie private collection 



*The tropical bird is smaller and richer in cnlourinij, especially in the 

 scarlet, which is of dazzling brightness. 



