PARRAQUETS. 133 



The broadtails, of which the best known example is the Rose 

 Hill broadtail, or Rosella parraquet (Platycercus eximius), take their 

 name from the breadth of the tail-feathers, which are not acuminate. The bill is 

 distinctly notched; and the feathers of the back are black, with broad, light 

 edgings, and presenting a general scale-like appearance. The genus, of which 

 there are thirteen species, is restricted to Australia, Tasmania, and Norfolk 

 Island. 



The Rose Hill broadtail is one of the handsomest of the Australian parrots, 

 and belongs to a group of three species, in which the cheeks are white and the head 

 red. Its coloration may be briefly indicated by saying that the head, neck, and 

 breast are red ; the cheeks white, the nape yellow ; the feathers of the back black, 

 with greenish yellow borders ; the rump, upper tail-coverts, and lower part of the 

 abdomen yellowish green ; and the lower breast yellow, with a scarlet band in the 

 middle. A large portion of the wings is blue; and while the two middle tail- 

 feathers are green tipped with blue, the outer ones are darker. The total length is 

 13 J inches. This species inhabits South-Eastern Australia and Tasmania. It 

 generally assembles in small flocks, and, although strong on the wing, is not 

 migratory. Its favourite haunts are open districts, and it specially frequents 

 cultivated lands, where it inflicts much damage on the crops. In addition to seeds 

 of various kinds, this parraquet is believed to consume insects and their larvae. 

 It may be distinguished from most other parrots by its cry, which is described as 

 a kind of chattering or warbling, with some approach to a whistle. Frequently 

 the flocks may be observed feeding on the ground, and exhibiting little fear of 

 man, except when they have been much fired at. In the breeding-season these 

 birds collect in large companies, making their nests in hollow trees, where from 

 four to eight or occasionally twelve eggs are laid; the males taking no share 

 in the work of incubation. Although a very noisy bird, the Rose Hill broadtail is 

 well adapted to captivity, being active and lively in its habits, and during the 

 breeding-season dancing and singing in an amusing manner. It has frequently 

 bred in Europe. 



Grass- The grass-parraquets, of which the turquoisine (NeopJiema 



Parraquets. pulckella) is the most familiar example, form a small genus restricted 

 to the south of Australia and Tasmania. They belong to a group of genera 

 readily distinguished from the broadtails by the uniform coloration of the feathers 

 of the back ; and are specially characterised by the bill being deeper than long, 

 without any notch in its upper mandible, by the absence of a yellow collar on 

 the neck, and the nearly uniform length of the four middle feathers of the tail. 

 The turquoisine is about the size of a lark, its total length being 8J inches, of 

 which rather more than half is occupied by the tail. It derives its name from the 

 turquoise-blue on the front of the head and wing-coverts. The general colour of 

 the upper-parts is green, with the forehead, a streak over the eye, the cheeks, and 

 wing-covers turquoise-blue; the breast, abdomen, and the under tail-coverts are 

 rich yellow, the sides green, and the inner wing-coverts marked by a chestnut-red 

 patch. The outer upper wing-coverts, together with the under-coverts, are bright 

 blue ; while the primaries and primary-coverts are deep blue. In the tail the four 

 middle feathers are green with black tips, and the remainder bluish green at the 



