164 Pr.ATYCKKClN.E. 



Sydney in October, 1 87*1, has a broken yellow cross-band on the centre of some of the blue 

 median upper wing-coverts. 



Mr. E. H. Lane, of Orange, writes me as follows: — "At \\'ambangalang, near Dubbo, 

 New South Wales, early in October, 1882, I found a nesting-place oi Euphenia pidchcUa \n a 

 White Box tree, and took a set of four eggs. This is the only nest I have found of this species, 

 and ha\e observed it only on this occasion at W'ambangalang. I'robably its appearance 

 there was due to dry weather, for in the same month and year I obtained a set of the eggs of 

 Psephotus multicolor, the first and only time I have observed this species in that locality." 



Mr. Robert Grant, Taxidermist of the Australian Museum, has given me the following 

 notes: — "The Chestnut-shouldered Grass-Parrakeet I almost invariably met with in pairs, 

 on different parts of the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, and have shot them on the road 

 between Wallerawang and Wolgan, also at Sodwalls on the western line. The only place I 

 ever found a small community together was on the margins of a swamp, on the late Mr. Mumford's 

 estate, on the top of the Zig-zag near Mount Edgecumbe. They were feeding on the pine-like 

 seed-cones of a small shrub that grew plentifully on the higher ground, and I found about six 

 or seven pairs nesting in the hollow branches of the Gum-trees around the swamp. This was 

 in December, 1885, and a young bird obtamed was subsequently sent to the Australian Museum. 

 The female has less blue on the face, and usually has not the red shoulder spot, but in some 

 specimens, probably very old birds, I have seen traces of it on lifting up the scapulars. It is 

 many years ago since I saw an example of this species." |. 



The nesting-place is usually in a hole in a branch of a tree, or in a log or fallen tree, usually 

 a Eucalyptus and less frequently a Caniarina, the eggs being deposited on the decaying wood or 

 dust, usually found in these cavities. 



The eggs are four in number for a sitting, \arying from almost globular to rounded-oval and 

 ellipses in form, pure white, except where nest-stained, the shell being close-grained, smooth 

 and lustreless. A set of four taken by the late Mr. Percy Ramsay, at Macquarie Fields, New 

 South Wales, in August, 1859, measures: — Length (A) o-8 x 07 inches; (B) o-8 x 07 inches; 



(C) 0-85 X 07 inches; (D) o-88 x 072 inches. A set of four in Mr. h". H. Lane's collection, 

 taken at Wambangalang Station, near Dubbo, New South Wales, early in October, 1S82, 

 measures: — Length (A) o-88 x 07 inches; (B) o-88 x 07 inches; (C) 0-89 x 071 inches; 



(D) 0^87 x o 7 inches. The eggs of this set are slightly lustrous. 



Young birds resemble the adult female, but are duller in colour, having more green and less 

 yellow on the under parts ; lores and a narrow frontal band dull yellowish-white, above which 

 the feathers are washed with blue, as are also those on the fore part of the cheeks. \\'ing 4 

 inches. At this early stage of their existence young males maybe distinguislied by having a 

 dull red spot at the tip of one or more of the green inner upper wing-coverts. 



The usual breeding season in New South Wales commences in August, and continues 

 during the four following months. 



Neophema splendida. 



SCARLET-CHESTED GKASS-PARK.iKEET. 

 h'li/Jinna t.jJe7i'H<hi, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1840, p. 147 ; iil, Bds. Aiistr., fol. Vol. V., pi. 42 



(1848); id., Handbk. Bds. Austr,, Vol. IP, p. 70 (18(;.n). 

 A'(YV'A''»ia .s7)/eW«A», Salvad., Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XX., p. 576 (1891); North, Ibis, 1894, 

 p. 260 ; Sharpe, Hand-1. Bds., Vol. IP, p. 39 (1900). 

 Akult m.\le. — Geiieral cahiiir abore, inrhnHnij llie. outrr in-bs and /ipa of llie tuner sfCundaries 

 (/reev. : occi/ntt and nape grei'ii, icaslied Jvitli blue at the lijis nf v>o><t of t!ie feathei-g .■ iipjier uing- 



