204 GROUND-PARROT. 



brown. The wings are rather short and rounded, 

 the first and fourth quills being equal, the second and 

 third the longest and equal. The inner webs of the 

 quills are blackish-brown, and have each a mesial 

 angular spot of yellow, forming an oblique fascia or 

 bar on the under side of the wings ; the exterior webs 

 are green, with an angular spot of yellow towards the 

 middle, upon all the quills, with the exception of the 

 two first. At the base of the upper mandible is a nar- 

 row band of reddish-orange. The bill is grey, the to- 

 mia of the upper mandible paler, and without emargi- 

 uation. The feet are yellowish-white, the tarsi nearly 

 an inch long, covered in front with hexagonal scales. 

 The toes slender and long, the claws nearly straight, 

 with pale tips. 



The Ground Parrot is a native of Holland and 

 Van Diemen's Land, where it inhabits the scrubs or 

 ground partially covered with low underwood. It 

 is very rarely seen perched, and when flushed, Mr 

 Caley observes, takes a short flight, and then alights 

 among the bushes, but never upon them. Of its 

 mode of nidification, and other matters connected 

 with its history, we are unable to give any further 

 account. 



The last group our limits permit us to mention, 

 from its characters, which in many respects approach 

 near to those of Pezoporus, seems naturally to be in- 

 cluded in this division. Its members are distinguished 

 by a crest, in one species consisting of two slender 



