THE ZooLocist—Aveust, 1872. 3161 
inspection perhaps, but a most searching inspection; nevertheless, 
it was conducted in perfect silence and gravity, and evidently with 
a due sense of the responsibility incurred in this novel undertaking: 
at length the examination seemed to terminate in the approbation 
of the parties principally concerned, who formally took pos- 
session, the female venturing first into the interior, then turning 
round, and with her head and shoulders projecting through the 
hole she received the delicate attentions of her half-naked mate, 
who stationed himself on the foot-board, and commenced warbling 
in her ear his entire satisfaction with the whole arrangement. 
A little altercation has on several subsequent occasions taken 
place between the parrots and the tree sparrows: these latter 
appeared to consider the new buildings erected for their accom- 
modation, and to be jealous of all interference, a view of the case 
in which I by no means concurred; nevertheless they seemed 
determined to maintain the mastery, or at any rate they were for 
some time masters of the situation, and took possession of each 
husk in succession just as they pleased. This annoyed me greatly, 
but it has been my plan through life to allow matters to take their 
course until they became intolerable, and then to put a stop to 
whatever could be endured no longer. After a few days it was 
evident that the parrots had selected one of the husks as their 
peculiar property, and that they busied themselves incessantly 
about adapting it entirely to their requirements; one bird was 
incessantly inside, while the other was frequently observed making 
alterations in the entrance. 
At length, on the 25th of May, the female seemed to be sitting 
close, for she rarely appeared outside her domicile, and only for a 
few minutes at a time, and then with her incipient tail bent, showing 
that it had taken the curve of the interior of her dwelling-place: 
the male was generally perched on the alighting-board; and while 
there he was perpetually uttering that gentle, almost ventriloquial 
warble which has suggested for the species the name of “ warbling 
parrakeet.” A few dates of observation may here be given: they 
were written on the days on which they are dated. 
June 6. When the female was off one or more young ones were 
seen in the nest: they were perfectly naked. 
» 20. Young ones partially covered with green were seen; 
still could not be counted. 
July 5. A young one came out, entirely forsaking the nest. 
