lOi ORANGE-BELLIED PABRAKEET. 
has been '‘’looking np” of late^ and we hope that ere long the delightful 
bird under consideration will cease to be a desideTatum with us over 
here. 
At first sight the Orange-bellied Grass Parrakeet bears a strong 
resemblance to the Blue-banded^ but a careful comparison reveals a 
considerable difference between them. The blue forehead band is not 
so conspicuous as in the case of the latter bird^ while the orange tinting 
of the under surface is deeper, and more concentrated, forming a well- 
defined patch of a deep yellow, or rather orange colour between the 
thighs. 
Gould found these birds existing in considerable numbers on the 
small islands at the entrance of Entrecasteaux^s Channel, where he 
thought, though without having found any, that they laid their eggs 
on the ground, or among the stones on the shore, for there are no 
trees on the islands; but it is more likely that these Parrakeets go 
elsewhere to breed, as they are very strong on the wing, and able to 
fly a considerable distance without taking rest. 
Their note is singular, resembling a sharp snapping sound, and forms 
a marked contrast to the more melodious call of the Elegant. 
Though frequenting Tasmania and the adjacent islets, the Orange- 
bellied Parrakeet is also found on the mainland, especially in the low 
swampy grounds existing between the port of Adelaide and Holdfast 
Bay; and specimens collected in summer and in winter, and in different 
places, presented no appreciable difference in their plumage. 
The female is generally like her mate, but the orange spot on her 
belly is fainter and not quite so large as his.. 
This bird is not found in New South Wales or Western Australia, 
and appears to be a winter visitant only to the colony of South Aus- 
tralia. 
A strong family likeness runs through all the family of the Grass 
Parrakeets; the Blue-banded (JUuphetnci ehrysostoma) , the Orange-bellied 
{Euphenia aurantia), the Elegant {Euphema elegaiifi), the Eock Grass 
Parrakeet {Euphema, petropliila), the Turquoisino {EupJiema pulchella), 
and even the Splendid Grass Parrakeet {EupJiema splendida), might 
all be taken for varieties of the same species, but there is little or no 
doubt that they are all different; the Blue-banded, however, and the 
Orange-bellied often fly in company, and might be considered identical, 
but for the points of difference we have pointed ont, and which we 
consider sufficient to constitute them two distinct species. 
Like all the Grass Parrakeets, the Orange-belly has the tarsi rather 
long, and runs with swiftness on the ground; its flight, too, is powerful, 
and well sustained. 
