ROCK PARROT 
Port Adelaide River, feeding amongst the samfire and saltweed, and have here 
shot specimens for my collection : they eat the seed of the saltbush and also 
grass seeds found just behind the mangrove swamps on the sandy rises. I 
saw those little parrots one morning in numbers on Reevesley Island, one of 
the Sir Joseph Banks Group in Spencer’s Gulf. My notes read : ‘ Jan 17, 
1907. We landed in the ship’s boat early in the morning before breakfast. 
I noted small flocks of the Rock Parrots flying from the seaward and settling 
among the sand dunes which line the coast of this low island, and upon 
investigation I found that they were settling on the Myoporium bushes, the 
small purple berries of which they were eating for their breakfast, and then 
flying to a “ soak ” between the hillocks to quench their thirst, for although 
it was barely daylight it was summer time, and the day registered considerably 
over 100° in the shade.’ I got several specimens. These in all probability 
had young on one of the adjacent islets of the group and were just feeding 
and watering on this island in the cool of the morning. The birds were seen 
breeding on a small island in Coffin’s Bay on the western side of Eyre Peninsula, 
in October 1909. The parrots made their nests on the earth, amongst the 
heap of rocks on the shore, but for the most part the young were hatched 
and fledged. It is remarkable that such a small delicately built little Parrot 
should select such bleak and stormy situations, in which to breed, when there 
are ideal and sheltered places within easy reach of their flight on the mainland 
near by.” 
Mr. F. Lawson (in the Emu, Vol. IV., p. 131, 1905) gave a good account 
of this species on Rottnest Islands, West Australia, as follows : “ This pretty 
little species is fairly common, but seems to favour the western side of the 
island, where it breeds on several small islets, but occasionally on the most 
precipitous slopes of the mainland cliffs. For a nesting site it takes 
advantage of any natural hollow in the limestone rock. I examined half a 
dozen or more nests. All of these were on the summits or slopes of islets, not 
in the face of the cliffs. The favourite situation appeared to be under a large 
slab of rock overhung by a profuse growth of vegetation ( Mesembryanthemum ). 
In one instance I found young in down in a slight hollow in the sandy 
soil, simply concealed by vegetation, and without other shelter. The eggs 
vary from four to six ; they are inclined to be spherical, and of the usual 
white colour. When a nest is being examined the old birds fly round with 
great rapidity, or perch on a neighbouring rock, whence they exhibit great 
anxiety. Young in first plumage lack the blue forehead band. In traversing 
the island I often disturbed pairs or small parties of this Parrakeet, 
generally in the more open parts. Their chief food seems to be small round 
seeds, but I could not identify of what species of plant.” 
VOL. VI. 
453 
