RED- BACKED PARROT. 
are usually met witli in pairs or small flocks feeding on the ground, and when 
disturbed fly to the nearest fence rail, or the limbs of a dead tree. They 
seem to prefer ringbarked timber or partly cleared country.” Dr. W. 
Macgillivray’s notes from Hamilton, Victoria relate : 44 Old residents tell me 
that Psephotus hcematonotus is not nearly so numerous now as it was twenty 
to thirty years ago, and this in spite of the fact that its natural enemies, the 
native cats and hawks, are either almost exterminated or much less numerous 
than they were. This is no doubt due to its natural food, the seeds of herbage 
and grasses, being very much curtailed by the land being closely cropped by 
sheep and cattle. This Parrakeet nests during September and October, a 
hollow spout, fairly high up in a Gum, very often a dead one, being generally 
chosen. The eggs, usually six in number, are deposited on a bed of chippings 
from the trimming of the hollow. The female alone performs the duties of 
incubation, the male keeping himself in reserve until the young birds demand 
his attention.” Mr. G. A. Keartland wrote from Melbourne : P. hcematonotus 
during the early spring is usually found in pairs, but when the young are reared 
they congregate in flocks. They feed exclusively on the ground on grass 
seed, etc. Whilst the females are sitting on the eggs the males associate 
in flocks. During a recent visit to Riverina I saw hundreds of males, but 
could not see a female until I disturbed one from its nesting-place.” Dr. 
W. A. Angove, from Teatree Gully, near Adelaide, noted : 44 Twenty years 
ago P. haematonotus was plentiful here, then became almost extinct, but 
the last few years it has been much more common. It is found on the 
plains near Adelaide, through the hills, and all across the flats to the 
Murray River, where it is a very common bird and is often associated with 
P. multicolor .” 
It is pleasing to note that, unlike some of these little Parrakeets, the 
technical history is quite clear, there being no complications whatever. 
Recently reviewing the series accumulated, I separated the South Australian 
form subspecifically under the name 
Psephotus hoematonotus virescens. 
44 Differs from P. h. hoematonotus in having the head darker green and the 
yellow of the abdomen with a more orange tinge.” 
This subspecies is recognizable when series are criticised and would be 
upheld by scientific workers on Palsearctic birds. The evolution of these 
small Parrakeets is difficult to suggest as they differ among themselves as much 
as they differ from other groups. A critical examination of their osteological 
features might give clues as to the origin of the various groups, but their apparent 
facies is quite Platycercine. D’Arcy Thompson concluded that their skull 
characters were Platycercine, but gave no detailed account, nor did he name 
399 
