BAUER'S PABBAKEET. 15 



deficiency in the matter of animal food may be at the bottom of the 

 vexations deterioration in size, stamina and appearance, that is so very 

 noticeable among the more easily obtained species of Australian 

 Parrakeets; whether Grass Parrakeets, Broadtails, or New Zealand 

 Concinna : so that amateurs who find their stock degenerating, might 

 try and recuperate it by a liberal supply of insect food. 



Bauer's and Barnard's Parrakeets are not unfrequently confounded, 

 not only with each other, but with a third congener commonly called 

 the Australian Ring-necked Parrakeet, Platycercus semitorquatus, but 

 only by persons who are unacquainted with the birds themselves, which 

 differ most materially from each other in general appearance. 



It is probable that we shall treat of Semitorquatus during the course 

 of this work, if not in the present volume ; but its place will depend 

 upon how soon we are able to obtain a living specimen, as an 

 acquaintance, if only of a few weeks' duration, with a bird, is worth 

 all that one could read about it in a year, and re-produce at second- 

 hand ; a determination that will account for the somewhat erractic 

 course of description that we have adopted in these volumes, where 

 no scientific arrangement is attempted, but a chronological order 

 adopted instead. Our plan may not be without some inconvenience, 

 but it has this merit, at all events, to recommend it to our readers, 

 we are personally acquainted with the birds we write about; or, if in 

 a few instances we should be unable to obtain living specimens of 

 species necessary for the completion of the work, the account will 

 be taken from reliable sources. 



The Hon. and Rev. F. G. Dutton sends the following account 

 of Bauer' 's or the Port Lincoln Parrakeet. 



I have not kept this bird myself, but as I have a friend who has 

 one, I wrote for an account of it, which I subjoin : — 



"Polly has led too respectable a life to have any story attached to 

 her." (This is not quite the case, for I myself let out Polly once, who 

 immediately showed the usual disposition of all long-tailed Parrakeets 

 to stray ; and was eventually found, having taken up with but mediocre 

 company at some distance. — F.O.D.) "Her disposition is exceedingly 

 sweet ; emphatically it may be said of her that her bark is worse than 

 her bite. Only once has the latter made the least impression, and 

 that under circumstances of great aggravation — the former would have 

 finished Job's patience, without any need of his friends' intervention; 

 and almost daily upsets the temper of the whole family. It is not so 



