660 NESTS AND EGGS 01- AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Observations. — The Night Parrakeet is peculiai'ly interesting from 

 the fact that it is the only species of its family in AustraUa having 

 nocturnal liabits. Moreover, with the exception of the Ground 

 Parrakeet ( Pezoporuf: furmosus), it is the only Pan'ot that attempts to 

 construct a nest. 



The Night Parrakeet ranges across Southern Australia, living chiefly 

 in the porcupine or spinifex grass of diy and arid tracts. The bird lias 

 been obsei-ved in the Wimmera district, Victoria, where it was reported 

 a nest containing five egga was found in some porcupine grass. 



The following interesting " Notes on the Night Panot " were read 

 by the late Mr. F. W. Andiews before the Royal Society of South 

 Australia, 6tli Fcbniary, 1893 : — "Dining the d^y this bird lies concealed 

 in I he in.side of a tussock or bunch of porcupine grass (Trinilid ), the 

 inside being piilU'd out and a snug retreat formed for its protection. 

 Here, also, its rough nest is formed, and fom" wliite eggs laid. When 

 the dark sliades of evening have fairly set in, it comes out to feed, but 

 generally flies direct to the nearest water, which is often a considerable 

 distance from its nest ; in some instances I have known them fly a distance 

 of fom- or five miles. After drinking and shaking themselves up a little, 

 they fly oft' to feed on the seeds of the porcupine grass, retvmiing to water 

 two or three times during the night. 



" The name given to this bird by the aborigines is ' MyiTlumbing,' 

 from the supposed resemblance of their whistling note to the sound of 

 that word. They have also a very peculiar croaking note of alai-m 

 whilst at the water, wliich much resembles the loud croak of a frog. 

 On one occasion one of these Parrots was caught in a hut, where it had 

 apparently been attracted by the light of a bush lamp ; it was put into 

 a box, wiiii a handfid of dry gi-ass. On examination the next morning 

 the bird could not be seen ; it had placed the dry grass in a heap and had 

 di'awn out the inside straw by straw luitil it had formed a hole, in which 

 it had concealed itself. 



" These birds are pretty generally distributed through the north and 

 north-west of this colony ; they come and go according to the nature of 

 the season. When the early season is wet, the porcupine gi'ass flomishes 

 and bears large quantities of seed, on which the birds feed ; but if, on 

 the contrary, the season is a dry one, the grass docs not seed, and no birds 

 are to be seen. 



" I shot some specimens at Cooper's Creek in 1875 when out as col- 

 lecting naturalist for the late Mr. J. W. Lewis, in his exploration of the 

 country about Lake Eyre. They were in that district observed to 

 conceal themselves during the day in the thick patclics of shrulibv 

 samphire on the salt flats bordering the creeks on Lake Eyre. ' 



The Calvert Expedition (1896) obtained evidences of the Nigiit 

 Parrakeet in the North-west desert as far north as Separation 'Well.'* 



* 'While on the subject of the North-west, I may mention a bird called the 

 .Spinifex Parrakeet, which is stated to have been discovered by Mr. .\. Calvert 

 during a former expedition (iSqi). I have not seen the Parrot named on any 

 .Au.stralian list. The following is its description, taken from "The ICnglish 

 Illustrated Magazine," vol. x. (1892-3) :— " .Six and a quarter inches long ; head, 

 brilliant cobalt-bluc, which blended into softer tints down the back ; wings 

 covered with bright-blue ijuill feathers; the breast, emerald green upon a 

 ground-work of orange-yellow ; the belly feathers also yellow, and tail feathers 

 flaming yellow, edged with emerald-green." 



