FAUSOXS—Nrophenni si>h-udiJu. l5 



bird should oajjerly observe and puiblish all possible particu- 

 lars ref!;ardinfi^ its habits before it is too late. 



It is interesting to here ^ire the statements of four 

 authors of outstandiuj]^ worlvS on Australian ornithology: — 



John Grould: "Birds of Australia, Fol., Vol. 5.'' ''It is 

 a source of much regret to me that I am unable to give more 

 than a very slig'ht noitice of the beautiful bird that forms the 

 subjec of the present Plate. The single specimen from which 

 my description was taken came into my possession in 1840, un- 

 fortunately without any other informaition accompanying it 

 than that it was a native of Swan River." 



Campbell: "Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds.'' The 

 only "observa'tions'' read: "(iould much regreted he was un- 

 able to give more than a brief notice of this beautiful and truly 

 "splendid" Grass Parrakeet. We are not much better off to-diay. 

 I sujvpose it is no wonder because ^this bird has been charac- 

 terised as very shy in disposition and nowhere numerous." 



North: "Nests and Eggs of Birds Found Breeding in Aus- 

 tralia and Tasmania." "As in Gould's tinu\ so it is now, un- 

 doubtedly the rarest species of the genus 'Neophema . . . .' 

 The specimens in the Australian Museum Collection are from 

 the I>arling River. New S?outh Wales, tlie Cawler Ranges, 

 and other parts of South Australia." 



Gregory Jlathews: "Birds of Australia." "There appears 

 little else to record about this species save that it appears to 

 be absolutely extinct both East and West." 



From the foregoing extracts it can be seen what a very 

 little is known about this "little gem" and it is pleasing to 

 think that is not yet too late to observe its life history, so 

 'ihat some information may be published for the benefit of 

 future students in ornithology respecting this, "one of the 

 ;ni<;sr beautiful of all Australian birds." 



Sept. 20. 19in. 



New Sub species of Fimu Wren. 



by 



F. ]■:. PARSONS, R.A.O.r. 



STIPITURUS MALACHURUS HALMATURINA. 

 KANGAROO ISLAND EMU WREN. 



Twelve exan\ples of Emu Wrens were obtained from Kan- 

 garoo fslaufi. while on a short expedition in the com])any of 



