BLUE-BANDED GRASS rARUAKEET.— /CHjjTiCTOa chrysdskrma. 



band over the forehead are beautiful azure, and around the eyes and on the centre ot the 

 abdomen the colour is yellow. 



The pretty bird to which so extravagantly long a name has been given is also a native 

 of Australia, and is found only in New South Wales, being, though plentiful, very local. 



The ScALY-BKEASTED LoERiKEET is a good example of a very large genus ; and as the 

 habits of all the species are very similar, more than a single example is not necessary. 

 The name Trichoglossus signifies " hairy tongue," and is given to these birds in consequence 

 of the structure of that member, which is furnished with bristly hairs like the tongue of 

 the honey-eaters, and is employed for the same pui-pose. This species may generally be 

 found in those bush ranges which are interspersed with lofty gum-trees, from the blossoms 

 of which it extracts the sweet juices on which it feeds. While employed in feeding, it 

 clings so tightly to the blossoms, that if shot dead its feet still retain their hold. The 

 amount of honey consumed by these birds is really surprising, a teaspoonful of honey 

 having been taken from the crop of a single bird. Whenever the natives kill one of these 

 birds, they always put its head in their mouths and suck the honey out of its crop. 

 Young birds are always very well supplied with this sweet food, and are consequently in 

 great favour with the native epicures. 



AVhen captured it is readily tamed, and is sufficiently hardy to live in a cage, provided 

 that it be well supplied with sugar as well as seeds. 



It assembles in large flocks of a thousand or more in number ; and when one ot the 

 vast assemblies is seen perched on a tree, the effect is most magnificent. They are so 



