102 Mr. J. C. Melliss on the Birds of St. Helena. 



Melopsittacus undulatus (Sbaw). " Shell-Parrot/"' Hab. 

 Australia- 

 Kept as a cage-bird. 



Cacatua sulphurea (Gm.). Lesser Yellow-crested Cockatoo. 

 Hab. Moluccas. 



A few kept as pet birds. 



Loj-ius domicella (Vigors) . Crimson Lory. //«6. New Guinea? 

 Kept as a cage-bird. 



Columba livia, Linn. Rock-Dove. Hab. Europe. 



Abundant in the Island ; existing both in a wild and a do- 

 mestic state. In the former, they frequent chiefly a place called 

 the Waterfall, a perpendicular cliff about 300 feet in height, 

 situated inland about two miles and a half from the sea, and 

 take their daily flight to the cornfields of Longwood or Broad- 

 bottom for food. 



Geopelia tranquilla (Gould). " Ground-Dove.^^ Hab. New 

 South Wales. 



Abundant all over the island. Generally to be seen in pairs, 

 inhabiting both the tall firs and other trees on the highest land, 

 and the rocky plains lower down. 



? Caccabis chukar (J.E.Gray). "Partridge." Hab. Nor- 

 thern India. 



The existence of this Partridge in St. Helena is mentioned 

 m Cavendish's ' Travels ' as early as the year 1588, where it is 

 stated : — 



" There are also upon this island a great store of Partridges, 

 which are very tame, not making any great haste to fly away, 

 though one come very near them, but only run away and get 

 up into the cliflfs. They differ very much from our Partridges 

 which are in England both in bigness and also in colour." 



Like the Pheasant, this bird is protected by game-laws, and 

 only allowed to be shot during three months of the year. It 

 abounds on the rocky outskirts of the Island, and only comes 

 inland to feed in the corn-fields. Partridge-shooting in St. 

 Helena is very fatiguing work, the ground to be gone over 

 being very rough and precipitous ; and it is quite necessary to 



