PLATE XLIII. 



EUPHEMA PULCHELLA. (Gould). 

 CHESNTJT-SHO UEDERED GRASS PA BRA KEET. Genus: Euphema. 



AFTER the Elegant Parrakeet this is the most widely-distributed species of all the genus, and extends its habitats 

 from the Wide Bay District to South Australia. Of a migratory disposition, the Turquoisine penetrates into 

 the plains of the Interior, though its preference is for the Coast District. It is commonly to be met with 

 in New South Wales, but in Victoria it is very scarce, a few going in the spring to South Gippsland and the 

 places adjacent, and are there never seen in greater numbers than three or four together — more generally in pairs. 

 Unlike the Elegant Parrakeet, this species does not consort together in large flocks, but, at most, in companies of 

 six or eight individuals, which are probably a family party, consisting of the old pair and their offspring of the 

 year, for in her natural state the female Turquosine has two broods in the season of from three to five each, but in 

 captivity and domesticated she is almost as indefatigable in rearing broods as the Cockatiel, producing from three 

 to five in the year of from four to eight eggs each time. Parents and offspring remain together harmoniously 

 associated until the following Spring, when instinct impels the young ones to set up housekeeping on their own 

 account. 



The Turquoisine has a most amiable, docile disposition on the whole, though there are occasional instances 

 of contankerous exceptions. They are apt to be listless and uninteresting except in the breeding season, 

 but directly spring comes to " turn their thoughts to love," they become very bright and amusing. The male is 

 at this period a most amarous lover and devoted husband ; his attentions are touching in the extreme ; he is never 

 tired of piping a sweet love-song to his mate to while away the tedium of sitting. 



As a whole they are very hardy, and have a wonderful power of adapting themselves to changing phases 

 of climate, adverse conditions, or circumstances. Their food consists solely of the seeds of grasses and the smaller 

 annuals ; they have a greater partiality for stony ridges than for rich alluvial flats. When suddenly alarmed, 

 they fly a short distance among the trees and perch upon some dead limb, remaining there till driven to the ground 

 again by hunger. 



When the breeding season comes round, and it is necessary to find a spot to deposit the eggs, these birds 

 seek out a hollow in a tree, and the eggs are laid without any attempt at nest-building. Incubation lasts about 

 eighteen days, but it is difficult to ascertain the exact time, as the female is apt to resent any interference, and if 

 much molested will leave the nest. Egg, white ; length, eleven lines ; breadth, nine lines. 



The male Turquoisine is a most beautiful bird, in fact one of the loveliest of our Parrakeets. The 

 shades of blue on the head and wings are exquisite in a f ull-plumaged bird ; the eye is large and dark ; the 

 forehead, lazuline blue ; the cheeks and lores, azure ; back of head, back, upper tail coverts, and two centre tail 

 feathers, olive green ; head, shoulders, and part of wing, a most beautiful turquoisine blue ; a bright spot of 

 chesnut red at the insertion of the wings ; primaries and secondaries, deep blue on their outer webs, and blackish 

 brown on the inner ; under surfaces and under tail coverts, bright yellow ; two outer tail feathers, yellow ; two 

 next, green at base, and yellow at tips ; bill and feet, dark brown. 



Size; Eight inches, or the same as Euphema petrophila. 



The female resembles her mate in general appearance, except that she is much less brilliant, and lacks 

 the red shoulder mark ; while the blue head and ultramarine wings are exchanged for a bright blue colour ; the 

 breast is generally green, or yellowish green, in faded tints. The male specimen in the Sydney Museum, from 

 which this plate is coloured, has, however, all the under-surfaces yellow blotched with red, but I am inclined to 

 think this is an accidental variety, as the descriptions given by Gould, Greene, and Forbes Leith, gathered 

 from many sources, coincide, and they do not seem to have noticed this dull red blotching. 



