168 PLATYCERCIN/E. 



and with one exception they were all Swift-flying Parrakeets. It is remarkable how a bird of 

 such \'aried and bright markings appears in a tree to be purely green, althougli if you happen to 

 be beneath one during flight, the scarlet under wing-coverts are very conspicuous." 



Mr. G. A. Keartland, of Melbourne, writes me as follows: — " Nanoihs discoloy is rightly 

 named the ' Swift Parrakeet :' the first intimation of the presence of these birds is usually to 

 hear their short notes as a flock dashes past in the forest. Whenever they find a Yellow liox 

 tree in blossom they stop for a feed, but are seldom found in the same neighbourhood beyond a 

 day or two. In igo2 I shot a young one at Eltham, and although but a few days from the nest 

 it was marked similarly to the adults." 



For the purposes of breeding a hole in the branch of a tree, or a hollow spout is selected, 

 usually of a Eucalvptus, and the eggs, two in number, are laid on the decaying wood or wood 

 dust, usually found in these cavities. The eggs are rounded oval in form, dull white, the shell 

 being close-grained, smooth and lustreless. A set taken near Hobart, Tasmania, measures : — 

 Length (A) 1-05 x 0-87 inches; (B) 1-05 x o-86 inches. Another set measures: — Length (A) 

 1-05 X 0-89 inches ; (B) 1-03 x o'87 inches. 



November until the end of January constitutes the usual breeding season. 



Melopsittacus undulatus. 



WARBLING ORASS-PAKEAKEET, 

 I'sitlarxs iinihdatds, Shaw, Nat. Miscl,, Vol. XVI., pi. 67.3. 



J/i'lop.-iillaciifi iiwlnlatus, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. V., pi. 44 (1848) : id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., 

 Vol.11., p. 81 (I8G.3); Salvad., Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XX., p. .")94 (1891); Sliarpe, 

 Hand-]. Bds., Vol. II., p. 41 (1900). 



Adult male. — (Jeiii'i'id colour aliore i^reen,ig/i-i/elloii\ ii-itJi uarroiv block cross-liars, (hose on /he 

 upper iciiy-corerh being broivit and more crescent-sliaped in form : oiUer ivebs of quills greenish-blue, 

 dark broivn on the inner, ii-ith n irhitish band through (he middle of the inner webs of the primaries, 

 the outer ivebs of the secondaries crossed near tlndr base ici/h a pale green band, the inner ivebs ivitli a 

 broader yellow band ; louxr back, ramp, and npper tail-coverts grass-green, (lie latter tinged with blue; 

 central pair of tail-feathers blue, the remainder greenish-blue crossed ivith an oblique yellow band ; 

 forehead and croivn of tlie Itead strand-yellow ; side of face and ear-corerts yellow, ivith narrow black 

 transverse bars ; lores, fore-part of cheeks and (hroa( rielt ye.lhnv ; on (he lonvr cheeks a band of rich 

 deej) blue con_/ln.ejit spots, and across the throat three or foiir rounded black spots ; remainder of (he 

 under surface, tin' tinder ?ving-coverts, and nn,drr tail-coverts grass-green, (he latter shaded tvith blue ; 

 bUI dnll dingy yelloiv widi a bluish sho,de (i( (he base : cere brilliant blue: legs and fee( grey : iris 

 s(raiv-yellon:. 'Tolal hn<j(li in (he flesh rd incites, ivitig o'S, (ail J^, bill (1 J, tarsus 5. 



Adult female. — Similitr in plnmage (o (he male. 



Dis(rtlni(ion. — North-western Austtalia, Northern Territory of South .Vustralia, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Central Australia, Western Australia. 

 ^Fyi favourable situations the Warbling Grass-Parrakeet, or more familiarly known 

 JL "Budgerigar'' of bird-dealers and aviculturists, is distributed chiefly over the inland portions 

 of all the Australian States. It is a migratory species, and usually appears in a district after 

 an abundant rainfall, and although breeding generally in the spring and early summer months 

 in Eastern Australia, it will often lay after heavy rain irrespective of season. To a certain extent, 

 too, it is nomadic in habits, and may appear in a district for one or more seasons, and then be 



