MELLOR—In the Piw ,ind Hallee. 41 



Cockatoo Parrot (Leptolophus auricomis). — In pairs fly- 

 ing swiftly just above the mallee, settling at times, and calliag 

 loudly ; they had apparently just arrived, and were looking for 

 nesting hollows. 



Mallee Ring-neck Parrot {Barnardius barnardi). — These 

 parrots were common in the mallee, always in pairs, and were 

 breeding in the hollows, all nests had fledged young, four in 

 number. The parent birds were very noisy, being at times 

 extremely excited, and pugnacious should another pair 

 come near their selected locality. 



Many-coloured Parrot {Psephotus varius). — Fairly com- 

 mon in pairs not far from the Victorian border ; I believe them 

 to be the Victorian species. 



Yellow- vented Parrot or Bluebonnet (Northiella haemato- 

 ijaster xanilwrrlwa) . — In pairs and not uncommon, especial 

 ly in the open country where pines were plentiful, and in these 

 trees the birds came to roost at night. The dull olive green on 

 the backs of these birds made it very diflScult to detect them 

 when they settled on the ground with the half dry grass about 

 then!. 



Shell Parrot {Melopsittaciis undulatus). — These pretty 

 little parrots were very plentiful in flocks, flying with undulat- 

 ing movement across the open grass land, seeming to be guided 

 by a leader or leaders, as the whole flock would twist and turn 

 systematically and in perfect unison, all the time uttering their 

 pretty little warbling notes. When a flock settled on 

 a dry tree, the tree would instantly b(^ transfonued 

 into a living one with the elongated leaves swaying in the 

 breeze, for the little birds being very animated are never still. 



Mallee Frogmouth iPodargus strigoides rossi). — These 

 birds were in the pine and mallee, and regularly their low 

 weird call -of "boo boo boo" often repeated would start soon 

 after sunset, and continue well into the night, as they sat ui)on 

 some post or convenient plaoe. and ever and anon sallied forth 

 after their food. 



Red-backed Kingflslier {Ci/analcyon pijrrhopi/gius). — Seen 

 only on one occasion in the small nnil!c(^ country. 



Bee-eater (Cosmacropft ornatiis). — Fairly common es- 

 pecially in sandy localities. 



Narrow-billed Bronze (^ickoo {Keochalcitcs hdstiUf! tnch 

 Ion). — Seen on several occasions. 



Bronze Cuckoo (Lamprococcyx plagosus).—'Sot comnum. 



