8 CHISHOLM, The -Lost" Paradise Parrot. I'^isffur 



noticed these I'arrots moving over the i^rtjund in numbers, but 

 1 never noticed more than two or three close together at any 

 time. I ha\e also seen the Golden-shouldered Parrot, and it 

 is similar in habits to the Scarlet-shoulder, but not so plentiful. 

 Both of these birds keej) moving back when settlers take up 

 land close to their habitat. They never seem to trouble trees, 

 but if disturbed fly ofif and alight on the ground further away." 



The next piece of information as to the whereabouts of the 

 residuum of the Paradise Parrots was almost equally surprising, 

 coming as it did from as far west as Longreach. The writer was 

 a drover (W. A. Cam])bell), and he re])orted having seen several 

 of the birds on the Xive River, 25 miles above Augathella, in 

 May of 1918. "(Jne pair was bathing in a large waterhole 

 within a few yards of me while my horse was drinking. I took 

 particular notice of them because they were so quiet." It is not 

 reflecting on the author of this note to say that I was unable to 

 get it substantiated by station-men in the Augathella district ; but 

 it is at least ])ossible that his birds were Turquoisine Parrots, 

 which beautiful birds are (or were) more partial than P. pul- 

 c her rim us to the exjjanses of the interior. 



Well, for three years the benevolent ])ursuit of the lost Parrot 

 was continued intermittently. And intermittently there floated 

 in suggestions and whispers regarding the existence and where- 

 abouts of odd members of the species. Occasionally, something 

 more definite arrived. For instance, a bushman dwelling in an 

 out-of-the-way spot between Bundaberg and Gladstone reported 

 in 1919 that the missing "Red-shoulder" was to be seen about his 

 locality. He knew nought of its distinctive breeding habits, but 

 mentioned that some of the birds could be seen in captivity. 

 Accordingly, Mr. C. T. White (Queensland Government Botan- 

 ist) and myself took train on a night in April of 1920. travelled 

 250 miles in that way, walked ten niiles through inhosi»itable 

 country, and crossed a broad creek in a leaky boat, what time 

 hordes of ravening sand-flies scored our bare leg.s — all to find 

 that the local Parrcjt was Ptistes, the Red-wing, a bird that could 

 be seen in a dozen cages in Brisbane ! The irritating similarity 

 of vernacular names had deceived our friend. Still, as old John 

 Burroughs once said, "Whichever way I go, I am glad I came." 

 .\mong other arresting sights of the locality were a pair of 

 White-eared Flycatchers {Monarcha leueotis) and two young, 

 this being ])robably the most southerly record of the breeding 

 range of MacGillivray's lieautiful Flycatcher.* TUu that l)y the 

 wav. 



TiiK "LOST" i;iki) i-ouxn BRFEOIXG. 



We come now, somewhat belatedly, to more recent and 

 thoroughly definite developments in the search for the Paradise 



* Monarcha leueotis was first taken by John MacGillivrav. naturalist 

 of H.M.S. Rattlesnake, on Dunk Island, in 1,^48. It is still but little 

 known. Fa\s. 



