480 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
siderable interval between each; the breeding season extends through 
the first three months of the year; probably it commences yet earlier 
in the spring according to locality. I have a note of a nest found in 
March, on the banks of the Okarito river, which contained one egg 
and two young birds; a second nest, about a mile away from the first 
named, contained two eges and one young bird. The egg is ovoid or 
ovoido-conical; white, finely granulated; in length one inch eleven 
lines; by a breadth of one inch five lines; in some examples these 
measurements are slightly exceeded. The parent birds have been 
known to exhibit marks of strong attachment to each other, according 
to the observation of Mr. Docherty. 
enus—Platycercus. 
47. Platycercus nove-zealandie, Sparrm. 
Red-fronted Parroquet, Kakarikii— Years ago it was very common 
in the numerous Fagus woods in the Malvern district, and also in the 
smaller woods that are distributed along the banks of some of the 
alpine riverbeds, gradually it became scarcer till the years 1877-78, 
when heavy flocks of these birds made their appearance all through 
this part of the country. During the last spring and summer great 
numbers have once more appeared to the dismay of fruit-growers. 
It is an early breeder, as it commences nesting almost in the winter ; 
last year, full-fledged young ones were taken from a felled tree in the 
Oxford forest, in the month of August. Its nesting-places are to be 
found at varying heights, from a few feet to at least fifty feet from the 
ground. A hole in a hollow tree or decayed branch is sometimes 
selected, or its nest may be sometimes discovered between the bole of 
the tree and apiece of its loosened bark. The eggs are deposited 
cither on the decayed wood at the bottom of the hole, or a slight nest 
is formed. I have one made entirely of feathers, moss and the downy 
scales of tree ferns (Dicksonia); these materials were arranged into 
a very slight fabric of a cup-like form, that just fitted the hollow 
selected for its breeding-place. It lays five, six or more eggs, these 
are broadly oval, sometimes nearly spherical, white; about one inch 
and a-half line in length, with a breadth of ten lines. At nesting- 
time the old birds often indulge in a low murmuring note to each 
other. 
48, Platycercus awriceps, Kuhl. 
Yellow-fronted Parroquet, Kakariki—Its breeding-habits are 
similar to those of the preceding species. Egg broadly oval, often 
almost spherical, white; length eleven and a-half lines, with a 
breadth of nine and a-half lines. 
49. Platycercus alpinus, Buller. 
Orange-fronted Parroquet.—Amongst the large flocks of parro- 
quets which spread over the country during last summer, this small 
bird was fairly represented. but was not at any time so abundant as 
either of the two preceding species. 
50. Platycercus Rowleyi, Buller. 
Small Red-headed Parroquet.—It may be of interest to give the 
measurements of a specimen obtained here on the 16th January last; — 
