PdLVTKI.IS. 101 



gather grass seed and also honey ftuiii tile box trees, which were in blossom, and tlien go to the 

 nests and feed their mates. The amount of honey collected by these birds must be very great, 

 as a stream a yard long frequently hung from the mouths of those killed when held head 

 downwards. Their nests were invariably in the hollow branches of the largest trees they can 

 (ind, and none but the most daring climber can secure their eggs. INIr. Ernest Williams informed 

 nie that of fourteen nests he examined in I'joo, eacli contained six eggs when incubation 

 commenced. Where a less number was fijund they were all fresh, and afterwards six young 

 birds were taken from the hollows, thus showing that the number of eggs is invariably six. Of 

 all the Australian Parrakeets I consider the Green Leek (Polytclts haryahaudi i the most beautiful 

 and attractive as a cage pet. They not only learn to articulate words distinctly, but are \ery 

 gentle if taken young, and will submit to be stroked without resistance or attempting to escape, 

 lentil six months old the young ones are all alike in their uniform green plumage with pink 

 inner webs to the tail feathers and a little scarlet on the legs. At ten months the males have a 

 considerable portion of the forehead and face yellow, and at sixteen months the forehead, face 

 and throat are all a rich yellow with a brilliant scarlet crescent dividing the lower margin of the 

 yellow from the green on the breast. The females retain the pink markings on the tail-feathers, 

 and in other respects undergo very slight alteration in their plumage, thus rendering it difficult 

 to distinguish between an adult female and a young bird of either sex. 



"Mr. E. Williams found FolytcUs hanahaiidi breeding in the hollow spouts of the Gum 

 trees on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River, near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, on the 

 2nd October, 1899. On striking the trunk of a tree with a tomahawk, a pair of birds were seen 

 to leave a hollow spout, which was about forty feet high. The eggs, six in number, were found 

 on the decayed wood about fifteen inches from the opening, and were slightly incubated. There 

 were three nesting-places of this Parrakeet in the same tree, each containing six eggs, but only 

 one set was taken, as Mr. Williams wished to get the young ones. .Mtogether he found that 

 season six nests with eggs or young. 



" These beautiful Parrakeets are seldom seen very far from water. Along the course of the 

 Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers they frequent the large timber, being very partial to the 

 blossom of the Vellow Box, which is plentiful in that neighbourhood, and they breed in the 

 hollow spouts of the tallest trees. During the breeding season, whilst the females are sitting, 

 the males congregate in flocks, and from a dozen to twenty may often be seen together, hence 

 the erroneous idea that the sexes are alike in plumage. The males acquire full plumage when 

 from sixteen to eighteen months old, but females I have kept for nine years have undergone no 

 change. Several times during the day the males visit the nests to feed the females or young, 

 but I have never known them to take part in the work of incubation. I have kept a number of 

 them in captivity, and they make excellent pets. They are very gentle, bear handling without 

 biting, and talk well. In 1908 my birds laid, and the female sat on four eggs, but unfortunately 

 the mice disturbed them at night, and ultimately destroyed the eggs." 



Mr. Percy Peir, of Marrickville, near Sydney, has kindly forwarded nie the following notes : — 

 " .At Grong Grong, New South Wales, I have seen Barraband's Parrakeet or 'Green Leek' 

 (Folvtclis haryalkiiidi), in small flocks of a dozen or more, alight in the growing wheat, of which they 

 devour a considerable quantity. These bird are rather rare, and were never to be purchased at 

 any time in any great quantity, and of late years have been practically unknown in the Sydney 

 bird-dealer"s shops. They are one of our most beautiful Parrakeets, and the most difficult of 

 any to cage ofT from the wild state. Sunflower seed and oats were the most successful foods I 

 could get them to take, and since the discovery of this I have never lost a bird. One now in 

 confinement for over six years has a scarlet band, at its widest part about an inch and a half, 

 and the frontal patch a deep orange-yellow ; each year its plumage appears to be more brilliant. 

 Tliey became \ery tame during cage life, but make no attempt to breed." 



