ZA Campbell and Barnard, Birds of N. Queensland, [anfjuiy 



It is interesting watching the birds going to "roost" at evening 

 in the hollows of the trees. They appear to use hollows to repose in 

 as well as to breed. Off and on during the night you can hear the 

 birds " talking " in their hollows, where to sleep, instead of perching, 

 as do most other birds, they lie down or coil up, resting their heads 

 on the inside bottom of the hole. This we judged by analogy by 

 seeing pet birds sleep on the bottom of their cages instead of on 

 perches. 



Whether about a house or in the bush wilds, the " Blue Mountain " 

 Parrot is a great favourite. We were fortunate in observing a tame 

 bird, in shining plumage, at " Fringford." One wing was clipped, 

 but by the aid of bill and claws it climbed everywhere in the house, 

 and outside to the tops of trees, where it would cackle in imitation 

 of the fowls, and make other extraordinary calls The bird was four 

 years old, and was brought in by the blacks from its nest and reared 

 by Mrs. Butler. 



Regarding " Blue Mountains " in the bush, there is a remarkable 

 picture by Mr. E. M. Cornwall in The Emu (vol. x., pi. xi.) showing 

 Mrs. Innes, of Pratolina, near Mackay, surrounded by a feathered 

 crowd of her bush pets. 



Mr. T. R. Gardiner told us of a similar experience which he had 

 when in charge of the telegraph station on the Walsh River, North 

 Queensland, 1 891 -190 5. The surrounding timber was chiefly "box" 

 and blood-wood (eucalypts). At first Mr. Gardiner had a young 

 caged bird that enticed a wild bird, which was captured. On account 

 of its brilliant colouring it was called " Reddy," and, after being 

 feasted on sugar and other dainties for about six months, was set at 

 liberty again. 



" Reddy," mindful of " home comforts," occasionally returned 

 with a mate, and subsequently with young ones, all of which Mr. 

 Gardiner continued to feed with sugar and water. Then, as if 

 imposing upon good nature, scores of birds came, and finally hundreds 

 at a time ! Such a screeching and scolding- — an awful noise — 

 especially at early morn. If anything, the birds were thickest about 

 4 o'clock in the afternoon. But birds were always about, perching on 

 wire, under the verandah, or were bathing. The birds became so 

 common that even the cat treated them with contempt. To teed 

 this most interesting feathered family it cost Mr. Gardiner, for seven 

 years, the value of five bags of sugar per year. 



When Mr. Gardiner was reading or reclining, numbers of his 

 feathered friends would climb all over him, and were fond of running 

 his hair through their bills. But, strange to say, the birds would 

 not alight on his man or his man's wife, although they both used to 

 feed the birds in Mr. Gardiner's absence. Often when Mr. Gardiner 

 was returning home flocks of hungry fluttering Lorikeets would meet 

 him at the slip-panel, 100 yards away from the house. 



We took eggs on the table-land of T. septentrionalis. which appears 

 to be a good northern variety of the " Blue Mountain " Parrot of 

 southern parts. It is a pretty sight to witness these birds bathing 

 amongst the branches that hold the rain or the copious dewdrops of 

 night. How they flutter their wings and revel in the exercise ! 



Trichoglossus chlorolepidotus. Scaly-breasted Lorikeet. 

 Eutelipsitta chlorolepidota chlorolepidota. 



Seen in numbers, frequently in ct)mpany with the " Blue Moun- 

 tains," in the flowering gum-trees. Eggs were taken from the hollow 



