Order PSITTACIPOBMES.] 



[Family PSITTACIDtE. 



CYANORHAIPHUS AUIUCEPS 



(YELLOW-FRONTED PARRAKEET.) 



Platycercus auriceps (Kuhl), Buller, Birds of New Zealand, vol. i., p. 142. 



I have described (2nd. ed., vol. i., p. 143) the beautiful yellow Parrakeet in the Colonial Museum, 

 the gift of the late Dr. Lemon. There is an equally lovely object in the Southland Museum. On 

 the forehead there is the usual mark of arterial red, and, with this exception, the whole of the 

 plumage is of a vivid canary yellow; primaries and their coverts white. Bill and feet white.* 



There is another beautiful example of the same kind in the possession of Mrs. Trask at 

 Nelson. I had an opportunity of examining it on my last visit to that city, and then made the 

 following note : — -Almost entire plumage beautiful vivid yellow ; frontal band and a broad thigh 

 spot on each side, carmine red ; bastard-quills, blue ; outer vanes of the secondaries in both wings 

 of the normal green colour ; shaft lines of tail-feathers, white ; bill white, with a tinge of blue at 

 the base ; tarsi and toes, white. This very lovely Parrakeet was killed on a wooded hill in the 

 vicinity of the city by a lad who, after the first view, spent several days in pursuit of it. 



Mr. Townson, of Westport, assures me that a perfectly white Parrakeet appeared once in the 

 neighbourhood of the town, but eluded all attempts to capture it. 



Mr. E. J. Barnes, of Wellington, writes me : — 



I was much interested in reading your account of the Orange-fronted Parrakeet. There is a specimen 

 of this bird at the local Working Men's Club. It has full range of the billiard and refreshment rooms, patters 

 out the usual parrot phrases, and has become remarkably tame and bold ; but more remarkable still is the 

 affection it shows for a flute walking-stick belonging to the steward. If a member, or even a stranger, takes 

 the stick and plays on it, or simply blows through it, the bird will come and sit beside him or perhaps on his 

 knee, talk and whistle in its own way, work its head and body about, put a foot up to its beak as if it also 

 were playing an imaginary flute, and altogether behave as if its little heart were brimming over with 

 happiness. The intense bodily effort and expression it throws into the words ' pretty boy ' while it looks up 

 into one's face is very amusing. If the flute-stick be passed round from member to member, or from room 

 to room, the bird will follow it all the time. Like the Kea, it is also developing a carnivorous habit ; one of 

 its little games is to alight on somebody's shoulder, and, if it is not carefully watched, it will sieze hold of the 

 soft lobe of the ear and give a nip sufficiently vigorous to draw blood. Altogether it is a great favourite with 

 the members of the institution. 



The Yellow-fronted Parrakeet is easily netted, and, when caged, soon adapts itself to 

 captivity. Twenty years ago a Mr. Bills, of Dunedin, brought a hundred or more of them, 

 in cages, to England, and they found ready purchasers at a guinea each. 



C. malherbei, G. R. Gray (nee Souance), from Saltwater Creek, Canterbury, is undoubtedly 

 this species. 



I have no doubt whatever that Cyanorhamphus intermedins, Reichenbach, is (as suggested 

 by Count Salvadori) nothing but the common form of G. auriceps, individuals of which differ a 

 good deal in size. 



* The Ring Parrakeet (Palaornis torquatus), a favourite cage-bird in India, is much inclined to develop yellow 

 plumage. Many of them are more or less heavily splashed with yellow, while perfect lutinoes are far from rare, and 

 are extremely beautiful birds. The males, it is said, in these cases retain the pink neck-ring, and the bill is almost red. 



