182



Australian and New Guinea Birds



examples are said to have come from New Guinea, and, therefore,

probably belong to the smaller race, which has been separated under the

name of M. assimilis. Three other species of Fruit Pigeons were tbe

Nutmeg ( Myrestivora ), Orange-bellied ( Ptilopus iozonus), and the Lilac-

crowned (P- coronulatus). I was greatly pleased to see a cage full of

the very beautiful Plumed Pigeons (Lophophaps leucogaster) and Naked¬

eyed Partridge Pigeons ( Geophaps smithi ) from Northern Australia.

The former is a most delightful bird that one had not seen for many

years past. It was imported in 1905, and formed the subject of a very

charming coloured plate in the Avicultural Magazine for December,

1906. There were also a number of Australian Green-winged, Peacefid

and Bar-shouldered Doves.


Of Parrots there were Rosellas and Mealy Rosellas, Kings, Crimson-

wings, Redwings, and Cockatiels, the last two in numbers, two pairs of

Brown’s, and several examples of the very beautiful and rare Swift

Parrakeet (Nanodes discolor). It is several years since I have seen an

example of this lovely species, though I believe a few have been

privately imported. It is vivid green in colour, with blue on the fore¬

head and wings and scarlet on the face and shoulders and underneath

the wings. In its mode of feeding it closely resembles the Lorikeets,

sucking the sweet juices from the flowing eucalyptus trees and some¬

times appearing in large numbers when these trees come into flower

in South-Eastern Australia and Tasmania. There were also a few of

the Yellow-vented Parrakeets of Tasmania ( Platycercus flaviventris),

a species very rarely imported.


The only small birds in the collection consisted of two cages full of

Chestnut-breasted Finches and some Diamond Sparrows, but there

were several other birds more suitable for a Zoological Garden than

for the private aviculturist, such as Emus, Black Swans, Blue Water-

hens, Pheasant Coucals, White-bellied and Wedge-tailed Eagles, and

one fine example of that strange bird, the Tawny Frogmouth ( Podargus)■

All the stock arrived in extremely good condition, testifying to the

great amount of care taken over them during the eight weeks’ journey

from Sydney.



D. S-S.



