THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
first, the cock goes off with much clatter, at full speed, and does not return. 
The males when fighting in spring, often flutter, facing each other, into the 
air, with the tails fully spread and chatter at each other most noisily, but 
apparently do nothing more serious. In this district (Hollywood, Narrawa, 
County of King, N.S.W.) the birds are present all the year, but there seems to 
be a considerable migration taking place during autumn and spring as at that 
time the numbers of birds about vary enormously.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby has written me : “I have found this species common in 
most of the lightly timbered districts I have visited in Victoria and also in the 
same class of country in New South Wales. Between Deep Water and 
Emmaville in the New England district, N.S.W. they were very numerous. 
In South Australia they are not uncommon in the South-east between Border 
town and Mt. Gfambier, but they do not, I think, cross the ninety-mile stretch 
of Mallee country between Bordertown and the River Murray. I have seen 
odd specimens about Blackwood on several occasions, but conclude that these 
were escaped birds. I have met with these birds (P. e. diemenensis North) 
in considerable numbers in South Tasmania on the peninsula which divides 
the Derwent and Frederick Henry Bay. Also at Bushy Park further up the 
River Derwent.” 
Mr. Isaac Batey in the Emu t Vol. VII., p. 12, 1907, recorded from North 
of Melbourne : “ Ever a permanent, but got scarce for a while. They nested 
on the place. Owing to extension of tillage Rosellas have now greatly increased.” 
He added to this (p. 95) : “ The Rosella though a bird of exquisite beauty, 
candidly speaking is a thorough scamp, only excelled in sheer impudence 
by that orchard pest the Musk Lorikeet ( Glossopsittacus concinnus). This 
“ cheeky ” species has a large head, seemingly a brain- weight equal to that 
of a Rosella. Notwithstanding, the Lorikeet has either no sense of danger 
or will not be educated into it. If a person takes his stand under a richly- 
blossomed eucalypt, numbers of shots may be fired at them. Not so with 
Rosellas. They will cut at the first pop, unless a winged bird is made to scream, 
when his mates flock in to investigate. We will now put Rosellas on trial 
for damaging crops. In the vicinage of Woodend North (Shire of Newham), 
a white gum country, with a good amount of dead timber and green, these 
Parrots are numerous. On the block specified there are several dams, and 
the land is tilled, hence conditions favour the presence of this bird. It was 
noted that on certain flats considerable damage was done to grain from the 
time it became eatable until placed in stack. Alighting on the tops of the 
sheaves, besides taking their fill, they shelled much, which fell upon the 
ground. To me this waste appeared considerable, but taken for the whole 
field the loss would not be serious, because if it had, people would have 
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