340 Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 



flarker shades of brown and l)lne, blend together in such 

 a way as to render the bird much less garish in its colour 

 than most of our Parrakeets. At the time of the Horn 

 cxpediticni it was only met with once, far away in tlie 

 western Macdonnells, when Mr. Keartland, the ornithologist 

 of the party, most fortunately came across a flock of about 

 fifteen perched in a small clump of 'desert oak.' This 

 was in June 1894 ; in November of the same year they 

 made their appearance in the eastern Macdonnells, nesting: 

 in 'hollow limbs of gum-trees, each nest containing five 

 white ejigs. Then for years tliey seemed to disappear, 

 nntil, once more, they were recorded during the year 1905 

 flora as far south as Oodnadatta. They feed on grass-seeds, 

 more especially those of the porciipine-grass, which indicates 

 that they normally inhabit dry and sterile countrj^such as is 

 avoided, as far as possible, by man. They certainly have a 

 most remarkable liabit of never appearing in the same part 

 of the country during two successive years; in fact, when 

 they do come, they make their appearance suddenly and 

 disappear as suddenly and mysteriously^, but whence they 

 come and whither they go no one knows." 



There are now two specimens of the Alexandra Parrakeet 

 in the British Museum, obtained during the Horn expedition 

 into Central Australia, and others living in the Zoological 

 Society's Parrot-house. 



The Pennant Collection. — The Earl and Countess of 

 Denbigh have recently presented to the National Museum the 

 collection of birds formed by Thomas Pennant, which has 

 remained at Downing Hall in Flintshire in its original 

 state since his death in 1798. The collection includes 14'i 

 specimens, the greater number of which are figured in his 

 folio work on ' British Zoology' published in 1766. 



Although there are no type specimens, the birds are of 

 great historic value, and, in several instances, may assist in 

 the solution of questions which have hitherto not been 



