PLATVCERruS. 123 



season, in flocks of from ten to thirty or even more, and large numbers can be flushed from the 

 ground, where their food is obtained, in the form of docis, grass, and other seeds. On these 

 occasions it is not unusual for a sentry bird to be on duty in a neighbouring tree, and in the 

 event of an intrusion a warning note from him will cause the whole flock to fly into the trees, or 

 away to a fresh feeding ground. I have never found this species breeding in this part of the 

 Island, but they no doubt resort to the lofty trees which abound here, where they can rear their 

 broods in comparative safety. The note is a loud harsh screech resembling 'tussock,' sometimes 

 repeated; also a clear whistling call, an imitation of which will almost invariably bring an 

 answer if there are any in the vicinity. This species, sometimes called by the settlers ' Tussock 

 Parrot,' is much used here for table purposes." 



Gould remarks: — '-Holes in the large Gum trees afford this species a natural breeding 

 place. The eggs, which are laid in September and the three following months, are of a pure 

 white colour, and si.x or eight in number, one inch and two lines long by eleven and a half lines 

 broad. When the young are first hatched they are covered with long white down, and present 

 an appearance not very dissimilar to that of a round ball of cotton wool." 



.\ set of four eggs in Mr. Malcolm Harrison's collection, taken by ]\Ir. E. Kermode at 

 Longford, Tasmania, in 1S95, ^-^^ rounded-oval in form, dull white, smooth shelled and lustreless. 

 They measure : — Length (.\) 1-2 x 0-99 inches ; (B) i-iS x 0-98 inches ; (C) i'2 x 0-98 inches ; 

 (D) I'ly X 0-98 inches. Two eggs of a set of five taken by ]\Ir. G. K. Hinsby measure: — 

 Length (A) i-ij x 0-92 inches; (B) 1-15 x o-y3 inches. 



Voung birds are dull green above, with indistinct, dark brown centres to the feathers; 

 outer series of the lesser and median wing-coverts dull blue, the remainder, as well as the 

 secondaries, like the back ; crown of the head and sides of the face dull green washed with 

 yellowish-olive; band on the forehead narrower and of a crimson-orange; cheeks blue, all the 

 under surface dull green, the feathers of the breast washed with yellowish-olive ; under tail- 

 coverts green margined with yellowish-olive. \\'ing 6'5 inches. 



Platycercus pallidiceps. 



PALE-HE.ADED P.\RRAKEET. 



Pluiijci-irni jKil/ireps, Vigors, Lear's Parr., pi. I'J (183'2) ; Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. V., pi. 26 

 (18-18) ; id.. Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. JL, p. .51 (18G.5). 



riatyceixii-s paUidiops, Salvad., Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XX, p. .547 (1891): Sharpe, Hand-1. 

 Bds., Vol. H., p. 37 (1900). 



Adult male. — Head white, the apical portion of the feathers i/ello/r : liind-neck, scapulars and 

 upper back black, all the feathers broadly margined with rich yellow; lower back, rump and ripper 

 tail-cor-irts pale greenish-blue, the centres of the basal portion of the feathers of the former black ; 

 upper n:ing-coi'erfs bbie, darker on the upper leaser series, n-ith. a black patch mi the inner lessrr and 

 median series, some of the feathers being narrowly tipped with blue; quills dark bine, the apical 

 portion (if the second to the fifth primiries edged externally with ashy-n-liile, the otiter secondaries 

 margined externatly with pale blue, and the inner secondaries margined around their tips with pale 

 greenish-blue, some of the outer secondaries and the inner greater wing-coverts also edged with 

 greenish-yelluw ; central pair of tail-feathers dark bine, with a gn-enisli wash, except toicards their 

 tips, and which is more pronounced on their margins ; the next pair dark blue on their outer webs, 

 blackirth on their inmr webs and lipped icith ivhite : the remainder similar on their basal portion, but 



