MALLEE PARROT. 
Dr. Macgillivray ( Emu , Vol. X., pp. 18-22, 1910), writing about the birds of 
the Barrier Range, New South Wales, notes: “ The two next hollows examined 
contained well-feathered young of the Mallee Parrakeet ( Barnardius barnardi). 
These Parrakeets are early spring breeders, and throughout our trip most 
of the nesting hollows examined contained young.” This was about the 11th 
September. 
Mr. F. E. Wilson, in the Eynu, Vol. XII., p. 32, 1912, however, found 
quite the reverse in the Victorian Mallee about the 26th August, viz. : “ This 
is a very common bird in the Mallee country, and its handsome plumage 
never fails to attract the eye. We were somewhat early for eggs, as all the 
nesting hollows we examined were only being cleared out.” 
Captain S. A. White [Emu, Vol. XII., p. 128, 1912), in his valuable notes 
(Field Ornithology in South Australia ) from the Port Augusta District, observed : 
“ On the other hand, we met with great numbers of the Barnard Parrakeet 
(. Barnardius barnardi). We first saw them on the foothills of the range, along 
the creeks, where they emptied out upon the plain — just an odd pair or two ; 
but on our advancing into the range they became more and more plentiful. 
We often surprised a small party feeding upon the ground. They would rise 
with much fuss, but, up to the time of alarming them, there was no intimation 
of their presence. Where the introduced tobacco-plant ( Nicotiana glauca ) 
flourished, its seeds seemed to form their chief food.” Later, recording the 
results of a Trip to the Northern End of Flinders Range, Captain White wrote 
(Emu, Vol. XV., p. 158, 1916) : “ Barnardius barnardi lindoi S. A. White 
( S . A. Ornithologist, Vol. II., part 5). This new subspecies is quite distinct 
from the Mallee form, the coloration of the entire body differing. In habits 
and its habitat this bird resembles B. zonarius more than B. barnardi. The 
female differs very markedly from the male. The yellow band on the first 
year’s plumage of the young is much mottled with deep red. Found all along 
the gum creeks, but never any distance away from them. Stomachs were 
much distended with green acacia seeds.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor has written me about a trip he made to the Flinders 
Ranges : “ Barnardius barnardi lindoi S. A. White. These birds were very 
plentiful all along the dry sandy creeks, where the red gums were growing ; 
they were for the most part in pairs and with old young ; when going along 
a track one would often flush them from the ground, and they seemed to feed 
principally upon grass seed and the seeds of acacias that were growing 
adjacent to the creeks ; they also nibbled the seed vessels of the eucalypts. 
Their call was a loud clear whistle, also a chattering call when together ; 
when angry, as seen in a fight when one cock bird happened to infringe the 
rights of place with another of his own sex, they become extremely ‘ talkative,’ 
vol. vl 
369 
