THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
we shot. That the females were all sitting was evident from the bare state of 
the breasts of those secured. The male birds do not sit, but gather grass seed 
and also honey from the box trees, which were in blossom, and then go to the 
nests and feed their mates. The amount of honey collected by these birds 
must be very great, as a stream a yard long frequently hung from the mouths 
of those killed when held head downwards. Their nests were invariably in the 
hollow branches of the largest trees they can find, and none but the most 
daring climber can secure their eggs. Mr. Ernest Williams informed me that 
of fourteen nests he examined in 1900 each contained six eggs when incubation 
commenced. Where a less number was found they were all fresh, and after- 
wards six young birds were taken from the hollows, thus showing that the 
number of eggs is invariably six. Of all the Australian Parrakeets I consider 
the Green Leek the most beautiful and attractive as a cage pet. They not 
only learn to articulate words distinctly, but are very gentle if taken yoimg, 
and will submit to be stroked without resistance or attempting to escape. 
Until six months old the young ones are all alike in then uniform green plumage 
with pink inner webs to the tail feathers and a little scarlet on the legs. At 
ten months the males have a considerable portion of the forehead and face 
yellow, and at sixteen months the forehead, face and throat are all a rich yellow 
with a brilliant scarlet crescent dividing the lower margin of the yellow from 
the green on the breast. The females retain the pink markings on the tail- 
feathers, and in other respects undergo very slight alteration in their plumage, 
thus rendering it difficult to distinguish between an adult female and a young 
bird of either sex. . . . These beautiful Parrakeets are seldom seen very far 
from water. Along the course of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers they 
frequent the large timber, being very partial to the blossom of the Yellow 
Box, which is plentiful in that neighbourhood, and they breed in the hollow 
spouts of the tallest trees. During the breeding season, whilst the females 
are sitting, the males congregate in flocks, and from a dozen to twenty 
may often be seen together, hence the erroneous idea that the sexes are 
alike in plumage. The males acquire full plumage when from sixteen to 
eighteen months old, but females I have kept for nine years have undergone 
no change. Several times during the day the males visit the nests to feed 
the females or young, but I have never known them to take part in the work 
of incubation. 
Batey in the Emu, Vol. VII., p. 12, 1907, noted from Victoria : “ A few 
came once. The white box country in Melton region, I conclude, was their 
favourite resort. Noted a brace the end of 1870. Mr. W. P. Best, ten or 
twelve years later, secured a pair about Bacchus Marsh. Noted a few in tree 
near Black Gully when going to Lancefield many years ago.” 
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