250 THE SPEAKING PARROTS, 



Many pairs settle near each other, and sometimes two or more 

 brood in the same nest. They are said to lay three or four 

 eggs. Whether, as is the case in captivity, they hatch several 

 broods consecutively, is not known ; but we may conclude, 

 almost with certainty, that this is so. After the nesting season 

 they collect in flocks of from twenty to a hundred head, 

 and these again unite, apparently all at once, in enormous 

 numbers, and, if the season be dry, undertake more or less 

 distant migrations, and, driven by the drought from their 

 customary habitations, appear suddenly in districts abounding 

 more in water. Among them one often sees little flocks 

 of Grass Parrakeets {Euj)hema, Wgl.) — for instance, the Tur- 

 quoisine Grass Parrakeet — the Platycerci, and various others. 

 In districts where they are not harassed they are exceedingly 

 tame, and may be shot in great numbers. All their move- 

 ments are graceful and rapid ; their flight is exceedingly 

 quick ; they climb well, or rather, they slip about cleverly 

 in the branches, and can walk well on the ground. Their 

 food consists chiefly of grass seeds. They seek out the corn 

 fields also, but do no great damage. On the other hand, 

 however, they offer a valuable prey, for they are often caught 

 by the flock in great nets, for the purpose of export to 

 Europe. The chief places for the capture of Grass and other 

 Parrakeets in this way are said to be the Alexandra and 

 Wellington Lakes, both situated by the River Murray, where 

 bird seekers resort annually for the capture of all sorts of 

 beautiful parrots, but principally the Undulated Grass Parra- 

 keet. Though no more than threepence or sixpence a head may 

 be paid on the spot by the wholesale dealer, yet, owing to 

 the multiplicity of the birds, considerable sums may be realised. 

 The number of Undulated Parrakeets imported into Europe is 

 estimated at from 2000 to 12,000. 



The Undulated Grass Parrakeet bears an unusually high value 

 as an aviary bird, chiefly for the ease with which it may be 

 bred — an advantage found to so great a degree in no other bird 

 except the canary. It is bred with equal zeal either for pleasure 

 or profit, for the admiration for this bird is always increasing, 

 and the young Undulated Parrakeets may sometimes be disposed 

 of to great advantage. Of course, in the spring and early 

 summer months, when many thousand couples arrive on the 

 large Australian ships, the prices fall, but they do not remain 

 low very long, and in winter good breeding birds are expensive. 



