136 



PARROTS. 



severely ; while it is an undesirable inhabitant of an aviary, on account of its 



propensity to attack and disable smaller birds. 



Ground- The lonp'- tailed 



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I 11 rarraqueis. ground-parraquet, or 



swainp-parraquet (Pe2:oj>or?f.s_/'ormo8Hs), 

 and the short-tailed ground-parraquet 

 {Geo2')sittacus occiden talis), are two 

 peculiar Australian species, of terrestrial 

 habits, and easily distinguished from 

 all others by the alternate dark and 

 light bars with which the feathers of 

 the tail are marked ; hence the name 

 of " pheasant-cuckoo " which is some- 

 times applied to the former. The 

 swamp -parraquet may be compared 

 in size to a thrush, its total length 

 being 12h inches, of which the tail 

 takes up 7i inches. It is characterised 

 by the length of the tail, which exceeds 

 that of the wings, and also by its long 

 and straight nails ; while the legs are 

 also of considerable relative length. 

 Its general colour is green, with a band 

 of dark orange on the forehead, and 

 the feathers of the crown and nape 

 marked with a broad median streak 

 of black. The remainder of the body 

 plumage is mottled with irregular bands 

 of black and yellow ; the quills are 

 brown, greenish outwardly, and marked 

 with a yellow spot ; and the bars on 

 the tail-feathers are alternately green 

 and yellow. 



The " Old Bushman " writes that the swamp-parraquet " lives on the ground 

 (but I have seen them perch on the tea- tree scrub), runs much and quickly, is hard 

 to rise, flies in jerks, goes away very sharp before a wind, and is very pretty shoot- 

 ing, rising from the grass and heather. We used to find them during the whole 

 year, frequenting different localities at different times ; and although they could 

 scarcely be said to flock, I generally rose three or four on the same spot. Dogs 

 will set them like quail." They generally frequent sandy tracts covered with 

 sparse grass and other herbage, and are but rarely seen in the neighbourhood of 

 trees. The eggs are laid on the bare ground, and are brooded by both sexes in turn. 

 The short-tailed ground-parraquet of the south and soutli-west of Australia differs 

 by the tail being shorter than the wings, and the short and curved claws, as well 

 as in coloration. It is essentially a nocturnal bird, spending the day in holes in 

 the ground, and only issuing forth at sunset to wander abroad in search of food. 



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BUDUEUIUAR.S. 



