THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
places ; as, however, these islands are destitute of large trees, I am induced 
to believe that they lay eggs in holes on the ground, or among the stones on 
the shore.” 
From the Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat., No. 1, Vol. III., I extract the following 
notes : Mr. Malcolm Harrison wrote from Hobart : “ The Orangebellied Grass 
Parrakeet arrives about the same time as the Blue-banded Grass Parrakeet, but 
in my experience not in the same numbers, and the same class of country is 
apparently congenial to both, although each species seems to prefer its own 
particular area in which to carry on nesting operations. Messrs. A. C. Butler, 
A. W. Swindells and I noticed this in the Both well District, and Mr. Brent found 
the same thing occurring at Melton in 1889, when both species were so plentiful. 
For several years past very few of these birds have visited their usual haunts, 
nor can I hear of them as frequenting other parts. Mr. Brent and I, during the 
latter part of 1908, devoted a week entirely in pursuit of the Parrakeets ( Euphema 
venusta and E. chrysogastra) and succeeded in finding one solitary bird of the 
latter species in a tree on the Dennistown Estate at Bothwell. I have had 
several sets of the eggs, in each case consisting of four, and I am inclined to 
think that number, and occasionally five, is the complement.” Dr. Holden 
added : “ On the 24th May, 1887, 1 fired into a flock of Orangebelhed Grass 
Parrakeets ( Euphema chrysogastra) at Long Beach, Circular Head, killing three 
birds. None of them had the orange spot on the centre of the abdomen so well 
developed as a specimen procured on Circular Head Peninsula in May, 1886. 
In one of the specimens the upper aspect of the tail-feathers is much bluer 
than in the other two. On the 9th September, 1887, I saw one on a rough, 
stony, uncultivated patch on top of Green Hills, Circular Head, and in June, 
1888, I saw a flock about the same place.” North wrote : “ It is exceedingly 
rare in New South Wales, the northern limit of its range. The late Mr. J. A. 
Thorpe obtained a male and female at Middle Head, Sidney Harbour, where 
he found them breeding in a hollow stump, also a specimen at Long Bay, 
where . . . Masters also procured an adult male and female. These are the 
only specimens I know to have been procured in New South Wales.” 
It is rare also in Victoria, so that it must now be a very rare bird every- 
where and becoming gradually extinct. It is to be hoped some measures will 
be taken in Tasmania for its preservation before it becomes too late. 
Mr. Edwin Ashby has written me : “In the spring of 1886 I found this 
lovely little Grass Parrot very numerous in the Pine wood ( Callitris ) : un- 
fortunately this wood was only a mile or so from Port Adelaide, in fact it 
extended almost to the Port, with the result that every boy that was able to 
raise a firearm was shooting these little birds. I obtained two skins at that 
time : one is in the South Australian Museum and Mr. G. M. Mathews has the 
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