38 Psephotusi Panakerfs at Liberty. 



patch on the win,q- niid pale yellow under the tail ; P. hae- 

 nuttorrlioiis lias a maroon uin^-patcli and red feathers under 

 the tail. In other respects the two forms are are alike and 

 intermediate \arieties are often met with. 



Bli'E-Bonnets have little in common with the other 

 sub-genus in which they have been placed. The sexes are 

 practically alike in colour, the hen being only a shade smaller 

 and duller than her mate. Their habits are mainly arboreal, 

 and although rapid runners they don't freciuent the ground any 

 more than the Platycerci — if as much. The only characteristic 

 I have noticed as typically Pseplwtlne, is the habit which 

 male Blue-bonnets have of nibbling and caressing their mates' 

 heads The true Broadtails never behave in this way, but the 

 Red-rump and its allies do. 



In disposition Blue-bonnets are I'v.'ly and playful; with 

 the exception of Mealy Rosellas they are the only Platycer- 

 cincs that often play. But they are dangerous in mixed comp- 

 pany, and murderously attack any bird, large or small, which 

 they are able to master. I'he majority of Broadtails fear them 

 and give them a wide berth, but individual Mealy Rosellas 

 and most Brown's Parrakeets are able to turn the table upon 

 them to some purpose. 



I have only once had a tame Blue-bonnet. Like the 

 little girl in the rhyme " When she was good she was very 

 very good, and when she was bad she was horrid." The 

 circle of her friends was extretnely narrow and as I was not 

 allowed to enter it, I did not keep her very long. 



A pair of Common Blue-bonnets formed part of the 

 first consignment of Parrakeets I ever tried at liberty. They 

 came rather late in the autumn and I feared they would 

 hardly survive the winter with cut wings — a needless appre- 

 hension for Blue-bonnets are more indififerent to cold than any 

 Parrakeet I know, and can be turned out of doors at any 

 time of the year, even when newly imported. The pair in 

 c[uestion moulted about mid-winter and proved to be good 

 stayers when their wings had grown. A second pair were 

 released full-winged, but one was found dead a few days 

 later. The survivor remained in the garden, for unmated 

 Blue-bonnets are far more contented than unmated Red-rumps. 



