NESTS AND E'.GS OF AUSTKALIAN BI/WS. 659 



The original geogi-aphical range of the Ground Parrakeet was across 

 Southern Australia from east to west, including Tasmania and Flinders 

 Island, where it existed in localities suitable to its peculiar habits, i.e., 

 sandy sterile ti'acts covered with coarse covert or swampy places of rank 

 herbage. Its call is a feeble twitter. I'he Ground Parrakeet is mottled 

 golden-green and black ; has comparatively large feet, and a pheasant- 

 shaped tail; and in total length is between 11 inches and 12 inches. It 

 emits a strong scent, so that game-dogs readily point at the bird. 



On Flinders Island Gould found the Swamp or Ground Pan-akeet 

 breeding on the scrubby places which cover a greater portion of that 

 rough island ; but, although he obtained young birds, he did not secure 

 eggs, which no doubt accounts for his over-estimating the number of 

 e^g^ to a clutch. 



Mr. E. D. Atkinson, C.E., of Tasmania, kindly supplied the following 

 with the eggs : — " Three eggs in nest, which was deeplv hollowed out of 

 the gi'ound under a button-grass tussock, evenly lined with fine grass and 

 most cai-efuUy concealed. Had not the bird flown from under my horse 

 ('' who nearly put his foot in it '), I should certainly not have found this 

 prize." Xlie nest was taken about the beginning of October. These 

 Parrots used to be plentiful in the neighboiu-hood of Cariiim Carrimi 

 Swamp, but with the reclamation of that morass, which is now occupied 

 by smiling farms, where potatoes of gi-eat proportions grow, the place 

 that knew the birds then " knows them no more for ever.'' The only 

 record left of their having been found there is contained in a very interest- 

 ing volume, published many years ago, entitled, " Bush Wanderings of 

 a Nattu-alist," by the late Mr. H. W. Wheelwright. He foiuid the eggs 

 of the. Swamp (Ground) PaiTot, four in number (" white, and more oblong 

 than those of the other species of Pan-ots "), on the ground amongst tlie 

 heath. 



Mr. North writes : — " Dr. Ramsay informs me tliis bird used to breed 

 freely in the neighbourhood of Appin, in the long, tussocky grass, during 

 the months of September, October and November, and that the young 

 birds afford excellent sport about the end of January." 



In the olden days, when out riding at the Reedbeds. near Adelaide, 

 Mr. W. White tells me it was no uncommon occurrence, upon flushing a 

 Groimd Parrakeet, to see his black tracker jump off his horse, rifle the 

 nest and eat the eggs. 



530. — Geopsitt.\cus occidentalis, Gould. — (442) 

 NIGHT PARRAKEET. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., supp., pi. 66. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xx., p. 598. 



GeDfjraphiral Distrihution. — ^Victoria, South (including Central), 

 West and North-west Australia. 



Next. — On the ground, usually in porcupine ( Spinifer) grass. 



Ef/ffn. — Clutch, foiu- to five. Undescribed. 



