Hi THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



am therefore glad to see that the British Museum authorities 

 have now abolished the name of P. coccineopterus. What 

 strengthens this view, in addition to the specimens exhibited, is 

 the fact that at several of our bird shows I have seen a number 

 of these parrots, in full plumage, from various places, extending 

 from eastern New South Wales to Derby in the north-west, 

 and could not detect the slightest difference. 



Another statement Gould makes is that they are naturally 

 shy and wary, and seldom become tame or familiar in captivity. 

 This is the reverse of my experience. I never saw one in cap- 

 tivity that was not tame. In a letter from Mrs. Clarke, who sent 

 me my birds, that lady states that she liberated a pair of Red- 

 wing Parrots in her garden. They stayed near the house, and 

 reared four young ones in a neighbouring hollow tree. They 

 came to the verandah regularly to be fed, and, when the young 

 ones could fly, the whole family (adults and young) often came 

 walking down the hall like pet chickens. 



The only nest I ever saw was within forty yards of Mr. Blyth's 

 residence, near the Fitzroy River, West Kimberley, where, in 

 addition to the folks about the house, several men were almost 

 daily drafting cattle or horses at the stock-yards close by, amidst 

 cracking of stockwhips and other noises. These parrots are 

 always found near water. I had no difficulty in shooting as 

 many as I required, as they permitted me to approach within 

 twenty yards of them whilst they were feeding on the small black 

 native figs. In the stomachs of those shot grass seed and figs 

 were the only food found. 



Starlings and Thrushes. — In view of the controversy at 

 present being carried on in the daily press as to the habits of 

 these birds, the following paragraph from Nature-Study for 

 November, 1904, is apr'opos : — "Birds and the Fruit of the 

 Mountain Ash. — There has this year been a very heavy crop of 

 ' wiggin berries,' as the fruit of the Mountain Ash is called, their 

 bright red colour presenting a pretty appearance amidst the 

 setting of dark green foliage. So conspicuous are the berries 

 that their quick disappearance must have been apparent even to 

 the most casual observer. Birds — starlings and thrushes in the 

 main — are responsible for this, which, considering the excep- 

 tionally mild and open weather we have experienced for some 

 weeks past, is somewhat remarkable. One usually looks upon 

 such wild fruits as provender in severe weather, but this year 

 they have been appropriated early, and one wonders what the 

 birds will do when the severe weather does come. — Charles 

 MosLEY, Lockwood, Yorks." 



