48 
NATURE NOTES 
five to nine eggs are laid. It feeds on various seeds, mostly 
grasses and insects, grubs and caterpillars. 
Its gorgeous plumage is very difficult to describe briefly. 
The head, back of neck, face, breast and under tail coverts are 
rich crimson ; chin and throat white ; upper back, wing coverts 
and flights black with yellowish green margins ; back and upper 
tail coverts bright grass green ; shoulders and middle of wing 
blue ; upper abdomen yellow, lower pale green ; beak light horn- 
colour ; legs brown. Sexes are practically alike; the plumage 
of the female is not quite so intense in colour as that of the male, 
she is also of slighter build, but their ages must be similar for 
this to be a safe test. Size 12 to 13 in. long and stoutly built. 
The Mealy Rosella {Platycercus pallidiceps). A lovely species, 
natives of east Australia, having nesting habits, &c., same as 
the Rosella (P. eximiis). Briefly; Head and face are yellow; 
neck and back black edged with yellow and green ; wing co\ erts 
and flights mostly blackish-brown with blue outer webs ; shoul- 
ders bright blue ; rump blue-green ; tail centre feathers greenish- 
blue, outer feathers blackish-brown and deep blue ; breast, 
abdomen and under side of tail greenish-grey : under tail coverts 
crimson ; beak light horn-colour ; legs dark brown. Size 12 to 
13 in. and stoutly built. 
j Pennant’s Parrakeet [Platycercus clegans). A native of 
Australia. It builds in holes in the gum trees, usually choosing 
those growdng on hill sides, with rank grasses and brushwood 
underneath, and feeds on grass seeds, berries, and when obtain- 
able insects, grubs and caterpillars. Its breeding season is from 
September to November, when it lays from four to seven w'hite 
eggs. 
It is very beautifully attired ; the head, neck, breast, 
abdomen and rump are brilliant crimson ; back and scapularies 
black with crimson margins ; cheeks and shoulders and greater 
wing coverts blue ; primaries, secondaries and outer tail feathers 
black with blue outer webs ; central tail feathers blue-green ; 
beak horn-colour; legs dark brown. Size 14 to 15 in. long, 
stoutly built. They have been bred out of doors in Yorkshire, 
which is one of the coldest and bleakest of our English counties. 
* Blossom-headed Parrakeet [Palcornis cyanocephala). This 
lovely Indian species is found on the Himalayas, in Central 
India and Ceylon. The male has the head reddish-purple ; a 
black band or collar extends from the lower mandible round 
the ear coverts almost to the back of the neck, follow'ed by a 
yellowish ring ; its upper parts are principally green ; tail blue, 
with outer feathers tipped with yellow ; under parts green, lighter 
and more yellow on abdomen, sides and vent ; upper mandible 
orange-red, lower black ; legs and feet blackish lead-grey. The 
young do not assume full adult plumage till second or third 
year. This applies to most of the larger parrakeets. 
It should have in the aviary a little fruit, bananas, sweet 
apple or pears, grapes, &c., not altogether, but varied almost 
dail}'. Size loi to 12 in. long, stoutly built. 
