The Bedrump. 117 



enjoy the outing! my neighbours all round were instantly on 

 the qui vive; some of them placed cages in their windows, 

 in order to try and tempt him in, while others stalked him 

 round the gardens where he happened to alight, and one 

 adventurous spirit attempted to secure him by the device of 

 throwing a cloth over him, as be walked about on the grass, 

 but "Eeddy" was too nimble for his would-be captor, and 

 flew off with a loud whistle, which he no doubt meant for 

 a laugh of good-natured contempt. Then how he revelled 

 in a good climb among the branches of a large elm tree, 

 from whence, as soon as he had finished his survey, he 

 took a rapid flight round and round the house, and finally 

 settled with a complacent whistle on the trap-cage, inside 

 which his sober-suited little wife was impatiently awaiting 

 his return; and when he was safely secured she was, in her 

 turn, permitted to enjoy a ramble, and after a good fly, 

 came home again contentedly to her husband and her supper. 



There is not the least fear of losing these birds when they 

 are let out; that is, unless some kind neighbour should succeed, 

 in trapping them, but I am not so sure that they would 

 come back again if both were let out together, except when 

 they had young ones in their nest, to whom they would be 

 certain to return. 



The Eedrump is rather smaller than the Cookateel, measuring 

 ten inches in total length, of which the tail comprises about 

 half. Psiitacus hmmatonotua is the scientific name of this 

 pretty bird, which the late Mr. Gould classed among the 

 Psephoti, which is manifestly wrong, for the Eedrump belongs 

 to the family, a numerous one, of the Grass Parrakeets, and 

 subsists, in its wild state, almost entirely on the seeds of the 

 various grasses indigenous to Australia, making occasional 

 inroads on the settlers' oats, but otherwise it is harmless to 

 the crops. 



The upper part of the body of the male is of a beautiful 

 glossy grass green; the breast and belly are yellowish green. 



