PEZOPOUUS FORMOSUS. 



(Orowid Parrakeet.) 



Forehead, scarlet; head and nape, grass greeu, each feather broadly streaked with black; back, scapularies, shoulders, and upper tail coverts, 

 grass green, broadly and irregularly barred with black, and narrowly with yellow, on the central portion of each feather; spurious wing, black, 

 edged with green on the outer webs ; secondaries, dull green, edged and tipped with yellowish grey ; primaries, brownish black, tipped with 

 whitish grey, and margined on their external webs with bright green — all but the three outermost have a triangular mark of bright yellow in 

 the centre ; throat and chest, light yellowish green, the latter streaked with black ; abdomen and under tail coverts, greenish yellow , 

 numerously marked with blackish bands ; the four central feathers of tail, green, crossed by numerous narrow bars of yellow ; the remainder 

 of the tail feathers, yellow, crossed with bars of bright green ; irides, black, surrounded by a grey ring ; feet, flesh color, tinged with blue 

 claws, black ; bill, greyish horn color. 



Length, 11| inches ; wing, 5 ; tail, 7 ; tarsus, 1\. 



This species is essentially terrestrial in its habits, never being seen anywhere but upon the ground. I have not heard of its 

 occurrence in Queensland or any portion of the northern territory. In New South Wales and the southern colonies it occurs more or less 

 plentifully, as well as in Western Australia ; being also common in Tasmania and the Isles of Bass' kStraits, in such situations as are suited to 

 its requirements, being those portions of the country which abouud with rank grassy herbage. From the similarity of its coloring to the 

 objects by which it is surrounded, it is seldom seen until flushed, when, after a short flight, it alights and endeavors to elude observation by 

 hiding among the tufts of rushes or thick swampy vegetation. Its flesh is of excellent flavor, being much like that of the Partridge, and as it 

 emits a powerful scent is easily followed by the jjointer. It makes no nest, but lays its white eggs upon the bare ground, the number being 

 either five or six. 



GEOPSITTACUS OCCIDENTALIS. 



(Western Ground Parrakeet ) 



Foe a knowledge of this species we are indebted entirely to Mr. Grould, who describes it from a specimen received from Perth in Western 

 Australia and which has been in his possession for many years. In its general coloration it resembles Pezoporus, but difl'ers from that bird in 

 several important particulars. In contour Pezoporus is graceful and well proportioned ; the present species is short and dumpy, the wings 

 being large and long and the tail short ; the head is also disproportionately large, the tarsi and toes short and diminutive, and the claws 

 very small. 



Length, 10 inches; wing, 5t ; tail, 5 ; bill, i ; tarsus, |. 



