1^0 From Magazines, S'C [isf^Oct 



hen just mentioned, quite like an ordinary ' Moreton Bay ' 

 Rosella in many respects, but he had a dark blue patch on the 

 lower cheek, not the circular patch one sees in a Pennant or 

 Yellow-rump, which starts from the base of the lower mandible, 

 but a kind of half-moon lying low on the cheek and not reaching 

 the beak at all. Although this blue cheek-patch is a very 

 noticeable feature, the general resemblance between P. amathusia 

 and P. pallidiccps is so striking that one can hardly fail to regard 

 them as local races of one variable species, and a series of skins 

 obtained from different locahties would probably show the com- 

 plete gradation of one form into the other. In describing the 

 habits of my Mealy Rosellas there is one point I have forgotten 

 to mention — viz., their playfulness. The Platyccrci as a family 

 are very serious-minded birds, and do not give themselves up to 

 light-hearted antics. But here the Mealy is rather an exception, 

 and I have sometimes seen my birds playing in true Parrot 

 fashion : turning somersaults, throwing bits of stick about, lying 

 on their backs, and hopj)ing wildly round with spread tails. I 

 once had a Barnard's Parrakeet who behaved in much the same 

 fashion, apparently from delight at the successful hatching of 

 his first family (he was quite a young bird). But I have never 

 known another of his species forget his dignity to such an extent, 

 and the Mealy Rosella is the only true Broadtail that I have 

 often seen play." 



Annual Meeting Postponed. 



It has been unanimously decided by the Council of the Royal 

 Australasian Ornithologists' Union to 



POSTPONE THE ANNUAL MEETING, 



which was to have been held in Queensland this year, and to do 

 the business of the session by correspondence. This decision has 

 been made because Queensland has suffered severely from the 

 drought ; and also the Council considers that all our energies and 

 spare money should go towards helping our country in its time of 

 need consequent upon the dreadful war. 



