The twelve sxviftest birds of Australia.



99



THE TWELVE SWIFTEST BIRDS OF

AUSTRALIA.


By E. S. Sorenson.


[Kindly communicated by Mr. R. Colton from the ‘ Sydney Morning Herald,'

May 15th, 1918.}


(Concluded from />. 74.)


The Jerriang (Little Lorikeet), which so often flashed over¬

head in screeching flocks, was the smallest as well as the swiftest

Australian Parrot. This green mite, with the red face and black

wings, was easily picked out from the several other kinds that fed

in the same trees, their common food being principally the honey of

the eucalyptus—though occasionally they attacked fruit and grain.

The Musk Lorikeet (Green Keet or Green Leek) associated with it,

and was another rapid flyer. You would hear the screech of a flock

overhead, and in an instant they were gone. The Green Keet, as it

was generally called, was a couple of inches more in length than

the Jerriang. When one was cut off from its mates it sailed after

them like a streak of green lightning. The Swift Parrot (called also

Bed-shouldered Parrot and Swift-flying Lorikeet) was another com¬

panion. It was the biggest of the three, and when Hying was

distinguished from the others by the red colour under the wings.

When these three started together in a flight across the clear

paddock, as we were sometimes lucky to get them, the Jerriang

won, with the Green Keet a close second. Redwings, however,

were not so much with us as the Keets, nor were their kind in such

numbers.


The two Bronzewing Pigeons were prized by game-hunters.

Both were strong and rapid flyers. The Brush Bronzewing was

slightly smaller than its cousin, and it was a rarer and shyer bird.

We frequently found it feeding along the edge of the plantation and

outside the river scrub, into which it would disappear with a

whirring sound on being disturbed. We had many Pigeons in

those scrubs. The little Green Pigeon was always with us. As it

kept to the thick brushes its flight was not easy to gauge. The

Fruit Pigeons came in season, and the Wonga was in the scrubby

hills not far away. The Common Bronzewing was the swiftest.



