JBtrttmiarg of ^utmatetr #ature. 511 



I The other species are Petroica Goodenov 



\ or Red-capped Robin ; Petroica phrenfce 

 or Flame- breasted Robin ; Petroica bicolo 

 or Pied- Robin ; and Petroica fu sea, or Dusk 

 Robin : all closely assimilating in mannei 

 and economy to the one above described, bu 



I differing from that and each other in specifi 



1 characteristics. 



PEZOPORUS, or GROUND PARR A 



KKk TS. A genus of the family Psittacidce 

 so called from their terrestrial habits. T 

 this genus belongs the beautiful green an 

 black-marked New Holland Parrot th 

 PEZOPORUS FOHMOSUS, to which Mr. Gould 

 the historiographer of the Birds of Australia 

 thus alludes in his large and noble work 

 Unlike some of the African members of it 

 family, who are inelegant in form and slov 

 and ungraceful in their actions, the P. for 

 mosm is as active and graceful as can be wcl 

 imagined ; and although in its colouring i 

 cannot vie with some of its more gaudily 

 attired brethren, it possesses a style of plu 

 mage and diversity of markings far from un 

 pleasing. Having very frequently encoun 

 tered it in a state of nature, I am enabled 

 to state that in its action it differs from 

 every other known species of its race, as i 

 does also in its habits and economy, which I 

 shall now attempt to describe. Whether the 

 power of perching is entirely denied to i 

 or not I am uncertain, but I never saw i, 

 fly into a tree, nor could I ever force it to 

 take shelter on the branches. It usually 

 frequents either sandy sterile districts 

 covered with tufts of rank grass and herbage, 

 or low swampy flats abounding with rushes 

 and the other kinds of vegetation peculiar 

 to such situations. It is generally observed 

 either singly or in pairs, but from its very 

 recluse habits, and great powers of running, 

 it is seldom or ever seen until it is flushed, 

 and then only for a short time, as it soon 

 pitches again and runs off to a place of 

 seclusion, often under the covert of the 

 grass-tree (Xanthorrhcea\ which abounds 

 in the districts it frequents." * * * It flies 

 near the ground with great rapidity, fre- 

 quently making several zigzag turns in the 

 short distance of a hundred yards, beyond 

 which it seldom passes without again rest- 

 ing on the ground. Its flesh is excellent, 

 being much more delicate in flavour than 

 that of the snipe, and equalling, if not sur- 

 passing, that of the quail. Its white eggs 

 are deposited on the ground. It is a native 

 of South Australia, and is found also in 

 Van Diemen's Land. 



PHACOCH(ERUS. A genus of Pachy- 

 dermata allied to Swine, and from the pro- 



PHALACROCORAX. A genus of Pal- 

 mipede birds ; for the characters and various 

 species of which see the article CORMORANT. 

 n addition to what is there given, we think 

 hat the following extract, although long, is 



Robert Fortune's "Three Years' Wander- 

 ings in the Northern Provinces of China :" 

 " The most singular of all the methods of 

 catching fish in China is that of trainin" 

 and employing a large species of cormorant 

 for this purpose, generally called the fish- 

 ing-cormorant. These are certainly wonder- 

 ful birds. I have frequently met with them 

 on the canals and lakes in the interior, and, 

 had I not seen with my own eyes their ex- 

 traordinary docility, I should have had 

 great difficulty in bringing my mind to be- 

 lieve what authors have said about them. 

 The first time I saw them was on a canal a 

 few miles from Ning-po. I was then on my 

 way to a celebrated temple in that quarter, 

 where I intended to remain for some time, 

 in order to make collections of objects of 

 natural history in the neighbourhood. When 

 the birds came in sight I immediately made 

 my boatmen take in our sail, and we re- 

 mained stationary for some time to observe 

 their proceedings. There were two small 

 ioats, containing one man and about ten or 

 twelve birds in each. The birds were stand- 

 ing perched on the sides of the little boat, 

 ind apparently had just arrived at the fish- 

 ing-ground, and were about to commence 

 operations. They were now ordered out of 

 ;he boats by their masters ; and so well 

 trained were they, that they went on the 

 water immediately, scattered themselves 

 over the canal, and began to look for fish. 

 Ihey have a beautiful sea-green eye, and, 

 quick as lightning, they see and dive upon 

 he finny tribe, which, once caught in the 

 harp-notched bill of the bird, never by any 

 possibility can escape. The cormorant now 

 ises to the surface with the fish in its bill, 

 nd the moment he is seen by the Chinaman 

 e is called back to the boat. As docile as a 

 og, he swims after his master, and allows 

 imself to be pulled into the san-pau, where 

 e disgorges his prey, and again resumes his 

 abours. And what is more wonderful still, 

 f one of the cormorants gets hold of a fish 

 f large size, so large that he would have 

 ome difficulty in taking it to the boat, some 

 f the others, seeing his dilemma, hasten to 

 is assistance, and with their efforts united 

 apture the animal and haul him off to the 

 oat. Sometimes a bird seemed to get lazy 

 r playful, and swam about without at- 

 ending to his business ; and then the 

 hinaman, with a long bamboo, which he 

 Iso used for propelling the boat, struck the 

 ater near where the bird was, without, 

 owever, hurting him, calling out to him at 

 ie same time in an angry tone. Imme- 

 ately, like the truant schoolboy who neg- 

 cts his lessons and is found out, the cor- 

 orant gives up his play and resumes his 

 hours. A small string is put round the 

 eck of the bird, to prevent him from swal- 

 wing the fish which he catches ; and great 

 ire is taken that this string is placed and 

 stened so that it will not slip farther down 

 pon his neck and choke him, which other- 

 ise it would be very apt to do. 

 " Since I first saw these birds on the Ning- 

 > Canal, I have had opportunities of inspect- 



