BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 97 



when they first leave the nest are grey, yellowish about the head 

 and the tail feathers. Later the body and wings become greenish, 

 with a little grey on the head. In a fortnight all trace of grey 

 disappears. 



Nest. Within a small hole in a tree or in a hollow log or stump. 



Eggs. Clutch five to seven; roundish in shape; texture fairly 

 fine ; surface glossy ; colour white. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : 

 (1) 22 x 18, (2) 21.5 x 18, (3) 22 x 17.75, (4) 21.5 x 17.5, (5) 

 22 x 18. 



Breeding Season. September to January. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania, King and several other 

 islands in Bass Strait, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Aus- 

 tralia. 



Observations. This extremely elegant Parrakeet was observed 

 by Gould in various places both in the north and the south of the 

 island. He was very much charmed with the species, about which 

 he says : ' ' . . . . for whether perched on a small dead branch 

 of a low bush, or resting on the stronger grasses, there is grace and 

 elegance in all its actions. It runs over the ground and threads 

 its way among the grasses with the greatest facility, and the little 

 flocks are usually so intent upon gathering the seeds as to admit of 

 your walking close up to them before they will rise; the whole 

 will then get up simultaneously, uttering a feeble cry, and settling 

 again at a short distance, or flying off to some thickly foliaged tree, 

 where they sit for a time and again descend to the ground." 



To my knowledge this bird is found during certain months about 

 such widely separated localities as Lilydale, Tasman's Peninsula, 

 Cleveland, and the country about Noland Bay, and other places. 

 Mr. Arthur Butler observed three pairs in June, 1909, on the 

 North-West Coast. I have seen odd birds in July in different years 

 in the country lying round the foot of the Western Tiers. 



ORANGE-BELLIED GEASS-PAERAKEET 



(Neophema chrysogastra, Lath.) 



Male. Frontal band blue, margined with light blue; crown 

 of the head and the rest of the upper surface green; two central 

 tail feathers bluish-green; the next on either side similarly 

 coloured, but with inner web margined with black; shoulders, wing 

 coverts, outer webs of primaries, and under wing coverts deep 

 blue; lores, cheeks, and breast yellowish-green, becoming greenish- 

 yellow on the abdomen, in the centre of which is a large patch 

 of orange; under tail coverts yellow; iris black; bill bluish-black; 

 legs and feet greyish- white. Dimensions in mm. : Length, 215; 

 bill, 12; wing, 106; tail, 109; tarsus, 14. 



Female. Similar to male, but duller in colouring. 



