30 



these parrots was caught in a hut, where it had apparently- 

 been attracted by the light o£ a bush lamp ; it was put into a 

 box with a handful of dry grass. On examination next morning 

 the bird could not be seen ; it had placed the dry grass in a 

 heap, and had then drawn out the inside straw by straw until 

 it had formed a hole, in which it had concealed itself. 



These birds are pretty generally distributed through the 

 north and north-west of this colony ; they come and go 

 according to the nature of the season. When the early season 

 is wet the porcupine grass flourishes and bears large quantities 

 of seed, on which many birds feed; but if, on the contrarj'-, the 

 season is a dry one the grass does not seed, and no birds are to 

 be seen. 



I shot some specimens at Cooper's Creek in 1875, when out 

 as collecting naturalist for the late Mr. J. W. Lewis in his 

 exploration of the country about Lake Eyre. They were in 

 that district observed to conceal themselves during the day in 

 the thick patches of shrubby samphire, on the salt flats bor- 

 dering on the creeks and on Lake Eyre. The first specimen of 

 this bird brought under notice was forwarded to the late Mr. 

 Gould, from Perth, in Western Australia, and was named by 

 him in consequence Geopsittacus occidentalis. He was not 

 aware until many years afterwards that it was a night bird, 

 and numerous mistakes were made concerning its habits and 

 economy which I have endeavoured to correct by many years 

 of study and observation. 



BiBLiOGEAPHiCAL NoTES, by Profcssor E. Tate. 



Geopsittacus occidentalis was first diagnostically made known 

 by Mr. Gould in Proceedings Zoological Society, 1861, p. 100, 

 from a skin sent from Perth. It is described by the same author 

 in his " Handbook to Birds of Australia," 1865, vol. 2, p. 88, and 

 is figured in the "Birds of Australia," supplt., part iv., pi. 2, 

 1867. 



Baron Mueller, towards the end of 1867, transmitted to the 

 Zoological Society's Gardens, London, a living specimen of 

 this singular bird ; it was described by the donor as inhabiting 

 the Gawler Eanges in South Australia, and in some respects to 

 be a night-bird, like the Nightjars and Owls. During its short 

 life in the Gardens, its habits were carefully watched, and the 

 results arrived at were — that it is chiefly a nocturnal bird, 

 shows a preference for green food, and that its voice is a 

 double note harsh and loud. The specimen was anatomically 

 examined by Dr. Murie, Prosector to the Society, and his 

 observations are detailed in a paper printed in the Proceedings 

 Zoological Society, 1868, pp. 158-165. 



