PSITTACID^. 215 



chiefly found in the middle and southern parts of that 

 country ; it is always met with in small flocks of about 

 half a dozen individuals, and seems to prefer the larger 

 kinds of trees. It is rather shy, and when quietly perched 

 amongst the branches is very difficult to perceive, until 

 its presence is betrayed by the cries it utters as soon as 

 it conceives itself to be in danger ; these are at first shrill 

 and isolated, but increase in strength and frequency till 

 it leaves its perch, and are usually continued during its 

 flight, which is generally short, but very rapid. It is 

 rarely found far from water, which it usually frequents 

 twice a day. It feeds on seeds and berries, sometimes 

 also on the young shoots of trees and plants. 



Messrs. Strickland and Sclater state that the blue on 

 the upper and under tail-coverts is wanting in the 

 female ; but I have now lying before me more than one 

 individual of that sex in which this blue plumage is 

 present. I have, however, examined others in which it 

 was absent, but which, in all other respects, appeared to 

 be adult ; whilst in other quite young specimens I have 

 found the rump and the upper tail-coverts nearly as blue 

 as in the adult ; and I have also specimens in which the 

 blue is present both above and below, but which have 

 none of the usual orange-yellow on the elbow or on the 

 thigh, but only on the under wing-coverts. Whether or 

 not these variations are merely accidental, I have been 

 unable to decide. 



The iris in this species is orange, the bill, feet, and 

 toes dark horn-colour. 



