6:;6 NESTS AND EGGS Of AUSTRALIAN BIKDS. 



Egyii. — Clutch, six to iiiuu ; \i\ry i'roin rouud oval to o\al in 

 shape ; textui'e of shell fiue ; occasionally somewhat coai'sc ; surface 

 slightly glossy ; coloui' piu-e white. Dimensions in inches of a proper 

 clutch: (1) 1-1 X -82, (2) 1-07 X -79, (3) 1-0 x -82, (4) -98 x -83, 

 (5) -96 X -8; of a larger pair: (1) 1-11 x -94, (2) 1-09 x -93. 



Obsiri'dliuus. — If the familiar Rosella, or Kosc-hill I'arndceet, were 

 not so common, it would, on account of the richness and variety of the 

 coloiuing of its plumage, no doubt be deemed one of the most elegant 

 and beautiful of Australian PaiTots. As a cage favourite it is merely 

 called a " Pretty Joey," possibly because, like Joseph of old, it wears 

 a coat of many colours. It possesses a pleasing whistling call note 

 and pleasant chattering tones. 



The Eose-liill Paxrakeet derived its name from being iirst found at 

 Rose Hill, near Sydney. Afterwards the word no doubt became cor- 

 rupted into Rosella. 



The Rosella Parrakeet is an abundant species throughout .South- 

 eastern Australia, including Tasmania, where it is a larger bird.* I have 

 found from sets I have taken that the forest birds of Gippsland lay 

 larger eggs than do those in the more open country of Western 

 Victoria. What can be the reason? 



Rosellas will continue to complete their clutches, even if the first 

 eggs laid are removed, a fact I proved at Cardinia Creek, Berwick, where 

 I took two eggs 11th October, 1880, from a nest, and again two eggs 

 from the same hole on the 13th. The late Mr. F. H. Reed, Tasmania, 

 also found that Rosellas continue laying, notwithstanding the eggs be 

 removed daily. 



Of all the curious places to find a Rosella's eggs I think a 

 Babbler's fPoiiuifor/iiinix) nest takes the palm. On the Lower WeiTi- 

 bee, 6th November, 1894, Mr. Charles French, junr., flushed a Rosella 

 from one of these large covered stick-made nests, and took six eggs of 

 the Parrot therefrom. 



Mr. A. W. Milligan made the inteiesting observation that young 

 Rosellas do not all leave the nest at the same time, but leave singly, 

 perhaps a period of three weeks elapsing between first and last 

 depaii/Ure. As they leave they join a flock of old birds, by which they 

 are cared for and fed. 



Rosellas live to a good age ; 1 have had a female in my aviary for 

 the last seventeen years, how old she was when I obtained her I know 

 not. An acquaintance had a single bird for twenty-three years, the 

 bird's bill and toe-nails had frequently to be pared. 



Mr. George SmelUe, Williamstown, had a pair of Rosellas in cap- 

 tivity, and during the season of 1895 the hen laid six eggs, but, 

 although the eggs were in a dark secluded corner, they were not 

 iiatched. Tlie male bird used to regularly feed his mate on her nest. 



Tlic following is an incident of which the truthfulness is vouched. 

 On Piccaninny Creek, near Kow Swamp, Victoria, a farmer friend 

 observed a Rosella fluttering in a tree as if overpowered in some 



' The white patches on the cheeks are also conspicuously larger than those 

 on the mainland bird. 



