102 PSITTACID.E. 



A set of six eggs in Mr. G. A. Keartland's collection, taken by Mr. Ernest Williams on the 

 Murrumbidgee River, near Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, on the 2nd October, iSgg, are 

 nearly round in form, the shell being close-grained, white, lustreless and nest-stained. They 

 measure: — Length (A) ri x 0-95 inches ; (B) 1-12 x 0-95 inches; (C) i-2 x 0-95 inches; 

 (D) fi5 X 0-96 inches; (E) ri x 0-93 inches; (F) 1-07 x o-gi inches. 



The last trace of immaturity in the almost adult male is exhibited in the dull scarlet bases 

 of the leathers on the thighs. 



October and the three following months constituted the usual breeding season in New South 

 Wales. 



Polytelis melanura. 



BLACK-TAILEU PARRA.KEET. 



Pahioniia melnitiiriis, Vig., in Lear's III. Parr., pi. 2^ (1>!32). 



I'olijlAis melanura, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. pi. 16 (lS4.s); id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. II., 

 p .33(186.")); Saivad., Oat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XX., p. 479 (1891); North, Ibis, 1894, 

 p 260; Sharpp, Hand-1. Bds., Vol. II., p. 32 (1900). 



Adult malk. — (li'wral nilnnr nlmre awl hfhitv jiinqnU-yflhiir : head, naji' and upper tail-corerts 

 iraslifid wit/i- tilivn : hder-si'apular region eilive ; scapidars bltickixh, olire in the centre and on- the 

 inner n'ehs of the, feathers ; primaries and secondaries blaek, dark ht ne mi t/ieir outer webs, the apical 

 half 0/ the outer primaries /cashed tvith htnish-green : outer ivebs t if the innernmst secondaries pide 

 salmoi-reil : ijrenler nnny-cucerts black, the centre webs of tlie outer series dark blue, the median series 

 toas/ied tvitlt i/reen, in rerij old birds jonquil.-i/ello?i', and tinged wit/i dull crimson., the innermost 

 series crimsini margi ned irilh /onj/nd-i/ellim^ .■ median and lesser wing-coverls jonqtiil-yellou' ; tail 

 black s/iiided n-itli. blue , under surface nf tht tail black, the lateral feathers narrotrip edge<I u'ilh 

 rose on tJieir inner irehs, and tipped n-ith dull pellow tinged nilh ruse ; bill cural-red. Tutal length 

 in the flesh 111 inches, rving 77, tail 9 J/., bill O'S, tarsiisl>'7. 



Adult female. — Dull olire-yreen abore and belnn-, brighter on the ramp, breast and ahdiaiien ; 

 inner series of the lesser and median ujiper a-iny-corerts yreenish-ijeltoa- : yreater a-ing-corerts blue 

 washed ivith olive-yreen, the outer U'ibs of the inner series dull red towards the tips: quills hlackish- 

 liroivn, their outer icehs dark blue externally a-ashed nnth olive-yellow ; the outer webs of the inner 

 secondaries dull ml near the tips, tad dull gret nish-blae, inner webs if the lateral fathers black 

 shaded unth blue, those of the three outermost feathers broadly inaryiiod and lipped uulh rose-red, 

 the next on either side narron-ly edged with rose-red. 



Distribution — New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia. 



IjS) IGl IT across the southern portion of the .\ustralian continent, from east to west, extends 

 -L \_ the range of the present species. In the eastern portions of Australia the Black- 

 tailed Parrakeet is more familiarly known under the name of " Rock Pebbler " and "Smoker," 

 the latter probably derived from the dusky-coloured plumage of the female. In the western 

 portions of the continent it is popularly known as the " Mountain I'arrot " and the " Marlock 

 Parrakeet." 



The distribution of the present species in Eastern Australia is somewhat similar to that 

 of Barraband's Parrakeet. In New South Wales it is comparatively rare, even where it occurs, 

 principally along the banks of the Murray River, in the south-western portions of the State, 

 ranging chiefly into the Wimmera District in Victoria, and freijuenting similar country in the 

 adjoining portion of South Australia, Judging by collections examined, it does not appear to be 



