^"'i^is'^' 1 ^^HiTE, Birds of Lake Victoria and Murray River. IQ 



Leptolophus auricomis {Calopsitta novcB-hollandice). Cockatoo- 

 Parrot. — A large party of these birds was seen out back from the 

 river just before reaching Renmark. 



Polytelis anthopeplus (P. melanura). Black-tailed Parrot. — These 

 charming birds were met both out back and on the river; they 

 seemed to fly a good way back to feed, returning to the big timber 

 on the river to roost at night. Two specimens taken at Lake Victoria, 

 7/10/17 : — No. I, c? — iris brown, outer ring lighter ; bill rosy red ; 

 legs and feet ashy-grey ; length, 440 mm. ; spread of wings, 620 mm. 

 No. 2, $ — length, 360 mm. ; spread, 595 mm. ; bill pale pink. 



Platycercus flaveolus innominatus. Pale-yellow Parrot. — This was 

 one of the most common birds on the river. They procure nearly all 

 their food upon the ground, and were often to be flushed from the 

 grass or blue-bush fiats, quite a distance from timber. Two birds 

 secured at Lake Victoria, 3/10/17. — No. i, o — iris brown ; bill bluish- 

 white ; inside mouth yellowish-white ; feet dark ashy-grey ; length, 

 350 mm. ; spread of wings, 502 mm. No. 2, ^ — length, 340 mm. ; 

 spread, 485 mm. Upon comparison it is found that the Lake 

 Victoria specimens approach most closely the Riverina bird, and 

 this seems to be, in the writer's opinion, some grounds for G. M. 

 Mathews's statement that " the lower Murray bird is paler in 

 coloration." 



Barnardius barnardi. Mallee (Ring-necked) Parrot. — This is a 

 numerous bird in the mallee all along the river. Two specimens 

 were taken at Millewa, 11/10/17 : — No. i, (J — iris brown ; bill, upper 

 mandible almost white, lower dark horn colour ; feet ashy-grey ; 

 length, 350 mm. ; spread of wings, 490 mm. No. 2, $ — length, 2>2i7 

 mm. J spread, 479 mm. No. 3 — length, 360 mm. ; spread, 480 mm. ; 

 wing, 180 mm. ; tail, 205 mm. ; tarsus, 22 mm. ; bill, zt, mm. 



Psephotus hsematonotus. Red-backed Parrot. — Numbers of these 

 birds were seen during the trip, mostly out back from the river. 



Psephotus varius rosin ae (P. multicolor). Southern Many-coloured 

 Parrot. — All the Murray specimens show a great deal more red on 

 the abdomen in comparison with the North and North-Western birds. 



Northiella hsematogaster xanthorrhoa (P. xanthorrhous). Yellow- 

 vented Parrot. — Met with in small parties in the sandal-wood country, 

 10 to 15 miles back from the river. Upon comparing these birds 

 with skins from the north and north-east of Adelaide no variation 

 can be detected. Three specimens secured at Lake Victoria, 

 6/10/17 : — No. I, $ — iris brown ; bill bluish-white ; feet ashy- 

 grey ; length, 309 mm. ; spread of wings, 345 mm. No. 2, $ — length, 

 400 mm. ; spread, 370 mm. No. 3, (^^length, 400 mm. ; spread, 

 36 mm. 



Melopsittacus undulatus. Shell-Parrot or Betcherrygah. — These 

 lovely little birds were in countless thousands, and as we motored 

 through the high spear-grass they rose in such vast flocks that they 

 darkened the air. As they wheeled and turned in their quick flight, 

 the bright colours of their plumage formed a dazzling sight. 



ffigotheles cristata. Owlet Nightjar. — Dr. Morgan discovered a nest 

 of these birds in a hollow stump at Lake Victoria station, 7/1O/ 17 ; 

 it contained two young birds covered in white down. 



