BETCHERRYGAH. 
the south to the more northern climes : it is generally about Christmas-time 
that they start to move along ; although of late years they have not been 
seen down here, yet in the early days great numbers were caught along the 
coast as they were migrating, nets being spread in the grazing flats near 
Henley Beach, and with a call-bird the parrots would come down as they were 
flying along overhead and quickly be captured. I saw a few in the Flinders 
Range, near Port Germein, when I was there : they were foraging about in 
the grass, looking for grass seeds, and were probably breeding in the mallee 
patches near by. Their pretty little warbling notes, as they chatter to each 
other in company, is very pleasing : they also have a shrill little whistling call, 
which can be heard by each other at a great distance, and this quickly attracts 
the attention of their mates and soon many appear where only a few were 
previously. The sexes are alike in colour of feathers, and but for the skin on 
the nostrils it would be difficult to pick them out, the male having a bright 
blue skin about the nostrils while the female has a brownish colour, but 
when young both sexes have a dull blue skin.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers’s notes read : “ Parry’s Creek, Feb. 13, 1909. Small 
flock seen to-day, first seen since the wet season started, April 2, 1909. Several 
small flocks seen every day since. Feb. 28, 1911, Derby. Are very numerous 
here now. I saw many hundreds on my way in from Point Torment. 
March 3, 1911, Point Torment. Many of these birds are now here in flocks 
of up to about eighty birds. March 8. One flock seen. March 15. Several 
small flocks seen. March 17. Large flock passed to-day. March 20. Many 
thousands passed to-day ; a continued stream of small flocks numbering up 
to perhaps two or three hundred birds were passing between about 7 a.m. 
until 11 a.m., travelling south. March 21. A few birds seen to-day. April 
10. Large flocks passed the camp to-day travelling east. April 20. Since 
March 20, small flocks have been seen intermittently : some stayed a day 
or two and then went. ... At Marngle Creek a few single birds and pairs 
were seen ; no flocks ; and all appeared to be travelling. At Mungi a few 
were seen : some were at the rock hole for water on July 5, 1911.” 
Hall records J. P, Rogers’s notes from North-West Australia (Emu, Yol. II., 
p. 62, 1902) : This bird is said to come in large flocks just prior to the rain, 
but I saw immense flocks at Lower Livuringa in July, when no rain had 
fallen for months before or later. In one flock I saw a specimen of decided 
canary -yellow. It was a variety of this species, judging by its form, 
manner of flight and association.” 
Batey wrote (Emu, Vol. VII., p. 12, 1907) : “ Noted a small flock at 
Redstone Hill about 1850 ; probably seven years later in droves at Brodie’s 
5-Mile, near Fenton Hill (Bolinda Vale), Victoria.” 
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