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much in size and in the depth of their colouring. The shade of the prevailing green, the brilliancy of the 
ciimson vertex, and the extent of red colouring on the ear-coverts and of blue on the wings are alike 
variable. 
Dr. Finscb is of opinion that P. ( Cyanorhamphus ) saisetti (Verr.) is inseparable from this species. On 
comparing a specimen sent by Mr. Edgar Lavard from New Caledonia to the Otago Museum, I find that 
this biul differs from P. nova zealandia only in having the sides of the face, throat, breast, and underparts 
generally greenish yellow, deepening into grass-green on the sides of the body and on the flanks. If, how- 
ever, this is a constant character I accept it as specific. There is a wash of blue on the outer vanes of the 
tail-feathers, hut this may be an accidental peculiarity. The crimson of the vertex likewise has a wash of 
yellow in it, to which the same remark will apply, for I have met with New-Zealand examples tinged in the 
same manner. The crimson uropygial spots in Layard’s specimen have an admixture of yellow; and the 
bill is blue and black, without any of the whiteness characteristic of our bird. 
I am of opinion that P. forsteri , admitted with some hesitation by Dr. Finsch, and founded on a single 
example in the British Museum, is nothing but P . nova zealandia, with the red uropygial spots accidentally 
absent ; and I have accordingly included it in the synoptical history of this species as given above. 
There is an example in the Otago Museum with an abnormally developed bill, as shown in the accom- 
panying woodcut. It likewise has a wash of yellow on the secondary quills. 
The Red-fronted Parrakeet is very generally dispersed over the whole country, but is more plentiful 
in the southern portion of the North Island than in the far north, where the yellow-fronted species 
predominates. It frequents every part of the bush, but appears to prefer the outskirts, where the 
vegetation is low and shrubby, as also the wooded margins of creeks and rivers. It is often met with 
amongst the dense koromiko (Veronica) which covers the low river-flats, or among the bushes of 
Leptospermum and other scrub. It seldom ventures beyond the shelter of the woods, unless it be to 
visit the farmer s fields for its tithe of grain, or to reach some distant feeding-place, when it rises 
rather high in the air and flies rapidly, but in a somewhat zigzag course. When on the wing it utters 
a hurried chatteiing note , and when alarmed, or calling to its fellows, it emits a cry resembling the 
words “ twenty-eight, with a slight emphasis on the last syllable. It often resorts to the tops of the 
highest trees, but may always be enticed downwards by imitating this note. It is gregarious, 
forming parties of from three to twelve or more in number, except in the bi'eeding-season, when it 
is generally met with in pairs *. 
Its food consists chiefly of berries and seeds ; but I suspect that it also devours small insects and 
their larvae ; for I have observed flocks of a dozen or more on the ground, engaged apparently in a 
search of that kind, and it is a well-established fact that several of the Australian members of this 
group subsist partly on insect food. When the corn-fields are ready for the harvest, flocks of this 
gaily-coloured Parrakeet resort to them to feed on the ripe grain ; and it is very pretty to see them, 
on any alarm being given, rise in the air together and settle on a fence, or on the limb of a dead 
tree, to wait till the danger has passed, keeping up all the time a low, pleasant chatter. 
Sir William Fox, after his return from a trip through the Canterbury district in 1871, informed 
* “ At nesting-time the old birds often indulge in a low murmuring note to each other.” (Journ. of Science, ii. 
p. 480.) 
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