162 XATUKAL HISTORY SKETCHES. 



parrot. It is next in size to this bird ; the -whole colour 

 of a gorgeous deep red, the feathers edged with black, 

 and the wing-feathers and tail have a dark purple shade. 

 It is a magnificent parrot, and, as they float through the 

 forest, they strike the eye like a flame of fire. The 

 male and female are alike in plumage, but the female is 

 smaller, and the tints much duller. For the first two or 

 three seasons, the immature birds are greenish yellow, 

 and they then go in flocks, and feed much upon the 

 ground about the homestead, in company with the 

 rosella. These are called the " green lowry," and they 

 were the tamest of all the parrots. The red lowry was by 

 no means rare in our forests, pretty generally dispersed 

 over all, and they much frequented the gum-trees and 

 scrub near water. All the parrots draw much down to 

 the creeks and water-holes, where they are very fond of 

 washing. Sometimes the scarlet lowry are seen in small 

 flocks ; sometimes, but rarely, they associate with the 

 green, but we generally see them in pairs, male and 

 female, by themselves. It is by no means a shy bird, and 

 feeds principally on seeds. 



The Sosella, when full plumaged, is a handsome bird, 

 and is known in England better than any of the others, 

 as the common cage-parrot from this country. The 

 ground-colour is green, prettily variegated with red, 

 yellow, and white ; the head and throat crimson, and it is 

 nearly as large as the lowry. It was very common 

 throughout the whole bush, in particular localities. Unlike 

 the other parrots, I do not think the rosellas migrate 



