128 Cole, No/es upon the Food of the Swift Parrot. \i^l'" 



Ocl. 



Notes upon the Food of the Swift Parrot (Lathamus 

 discolor). 



By C. F. Cole, R.A.O.U., Wangaratta (Vic.) 



Truly it has rightly been said that there is too much supposition 

 regarding the foocl of our native birds, this beautiful little 

 Parrot, so appropriately named vernacularly the Swift Parrot, 

 an annual visitor of my boyhood days to the Hawthorn district, 

 Melbourne, in quest of the nectar secreted by the flowers of the 

 eucalypt trees, being the cause of my falling into error, and 

 thinking that this bird was purely a honey-eater. But since those 

 early days I have, from observation and by dissection, proved 

 that this species, originally known as Nanodes discolor, is not 

 purely a honey-eater, but a seed and insect eater. The scale- 

 like insect attacking the leaves of the eucalypt trees, and known 

 as a lerp {LasiopsvUa rotundipennis), is much relished by this bird. 



During the month of July, 1917, whilst skinning a few of this 

 species for scientific purposes, the specimens being secured in the 

 Wangandary district, near Wangaratta, in the north-east of 

 Victoria, my attention was drawn to the contents of their crops, 

 resembling moistened oatmeal or the kernels of small grass seeds. 



One July evening, coming across a flock of fully 100 of this 

 species about to roost for the night in a dense clump of yellow box 

 eucalypt trees, I managed to secure a male bird by injuring the 

 tip of its right wing. Amputating the injured portion upon my 

 arrival home, I placed this bird in a cage vacated by a Canary. 

 Ne.xt morning, to my surprise, this bird was shelling and eating 

 the Canary seed left in the cage more swiftly and adeptly than 

 any seed-eating Parrot that I am acquainted with. Next day 

 this bird secured its liberty, and probably became food for the 

 house cat. A few weeks later, securing another bird, I placed 

 Canary seeds along with other seeds in the cage. The bird 

 immediately selected the Canary seed, and showed its expertness 

 by swiftly shelhng the same. 



This species, like the small Lorikeets of the Glossopsittacus 

 genus, are, when placed in captivity, very cheeky, and not at all 

 timid as regards food- eating. This bird Hved solely upon Canary 

 seed for over twelve months, preferring it to honey diluted in 

 water. Owing to the want of flight exercise this bird became 

 very fat, and died ; upon dissection tlie organs were found to be 

 fat-lined. 



This clearly shows, from the way that these two wild birds, 

 direct from the bush, so readily attacked Canary seed, that they 

 were in the habit of eating some seed having a strong resemblance 

 to Canary seed ; also, by their expertness in shelhng same, that 

 tliis species is a seed-eater. 



The many varied noti's ol this biid arc, -iiuc its decease, oft 

 repeated during tlie day by a Yellow Parrot {rialycfrciis /Icnroliis) 

 that 1 have in captivity.' The two Inrds sliared the same cage, 

 and at night it was amusing to see the httle fellow cuddle up close 

 to its big cage friend, as if for protection. 



