THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 151 



NOTES ON THE GENERA POLYTELIS AND 

 SPATHOPTERUS. 

 By G. a. Keartland. 

 {Read before the Field NataraUsts' Club of Victoria, 9th Feb., 1903.) 

 The genera under notice are probably the most interesting of our 

 Australian parrots. In some respects they occupy a mid-position 

 between Psephotus and Trichoglossus, but are quite distinct from 

 either. Whilst their flight is as rapid as that of the latter, the 

 extreme length of the wings and tail form a distinguishing feature. 

 Although their bills are not so broad as that of Psephotus, they 

 are able to crack and shell grain and seed rapidly. At the same 

 time the upper mandible is not so pointed as that of the 

 Trichoglossi, but they extract honey from blossoms with equal 

 facility. In fact, one of the prettiest sights I saw during a trip to 

 Riverina was a flock of male Polytelis barrabandi devouring the 

 honey in the blossom of the yellow box. They suspended 

 themselves in all manner of attitudes, and worked away regard- 

 less of whether head, tail, back, or breast was uppermost. 

 Ovving to the length of their wings these birds are able to travel 

 a great distance in a short time, and they always seem to be in a 

 hurry. Still their geographical range is somewhat restricted. In 

 captivity the Polytelis become most interesting pets on account of 

 their activity and gentle disposition. Whilst the Platycerci almost 

 invariably become spiteful after a year's confinement, the 

 Polytelis seem to increase in confidence and affection for their 

 keeper. A brief note on the different species will perhaps prove 

 interesting to some of our ornithologists, commencing with 



Polytelis barrabandi, Green-Leek Parrakeet. 



Although this bird has its headquarters in southern New 

 South Wales and northern Victoria, in the early days of the 

 colony flocks of them were found as far south as the Yarra River 

 at Heidelberg, and along the creeks at Keilor. My late father 

 shot them at both places. They are also occasionally seen along 

 the Warrego and Condamine Rivers in Southern Queensland. 

 These beautiful parrakeets are now found in greatest numbers 

 along tiie courses of the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers, where 

 they breed in the hollow spouts of the giant trees on the river 

 flats, usually selecting the highest branches. During the breed- 

 ing season the males congregate in flocks, whilst their partners 

 are engaged in the work of incubation. As illustrating their 

 sociable disposition, I may mention that as many as four nests 

 containing young ones were found in one tree. The Green-Leek 

 feeds on grass seed and thistles during part of the year, but as 

 soon as the eucalypts blossom honey becomes its staple food. 

 During the first year there is difficulty in distinguishing the sexes. 



