376 
SOANSO R ES. 131 R DS.- 
rSirrACIDA!. 
iTioiistaclie-likc black streaks, running obliquely back- 
wards from the base of the lower mandible, but not 
encircling tbe neck. The primary quills of the wings 
are bordered with blue ; and the two centre feathers of 
the tail, which in this, as in the other species of the 
genus are a good deal longer than the rest, are of an 
azure colour. This handsome bird is a native of 
Malacca, where it is said by Sir Stamford Hallies to 
ligure in the fables and poems of the natives as a being 
endowed with a supernatural degree of intelligence. 
It is also met with in the eastern islands, and is not 
uncommon in some parts of Borneo. 
BAERABAND’S PARKOQUET {Palceornis Barrahandi) 
is an Australian species, very nearly allied to the pre- 
ceding, with whicli it agrees in size, and in the general 
green colour of its plumage. It has the forehead, the 
lower part of the cheeks, and the front of the neck of a 
rich yellow, bordered beneath by a broad band of red ; 
the primaries are blue. 
PENNANT’S PAEROQUET {Tlatycercus Fennantu ). — 
Th^Flatycerd, which are peculiar to Australia and New 
Guinea, resemble the preceding species in their elon- 
gated tails, but have this part broader and rounded at 
the tip. The present species is an inhabitant of New 
South Wales, where it is generally dispersed on the 
grassy hills and brushes. The general colour of its 
plumage is a rich deep crimson; but the centre of each 
feather of the back and scapulars is black, leaving only 
a rather broad red border ; the cheeks are blue ; the 
quill-feathers of the wings are black, bordered wiih 
blue externally ; the two centre tail-feathers are green 
with blue margins, and the remainder have their inner 
webs black, and their outer webs deep blue, for tlie 
greater part of their length, the tips of the feathers being 
a paler blue. Its length is rather more than fifteen 
inches. It is an abundant and beautiful species, but, 
from its congregating in large flocks and exhibiting a 
predilection for the grain crops of the colonists, it under- 
goes a considerable amount of persecution. Its flesh 
is said to be very good eating. In its movements this 
species is active and lively, and it walks ujion the 
ground with great ease ; this, indeed, is the case with 
most of the Australian parroquets. 
THE NEW HOLLAND CRESTED PARROQUET [Calo- 
paiUa Novee Hollandice), a small and elegant species, 
measuring about twelve inches in total length, is not 
distinguished by any brilliancy of plumage, its general 
colour being a pale olive-brown ; but it has the whole 
of the head bright yellow, with a large crimson spot on 
each cheek, and the crown is adorned with a most 
graceful crest of long yellow feathers. It is an exceed- 
ingly abundant species in some parts of New South 
Wales, and seeks its food upon the ground, walking 
with great facility. 
THE HORNED PARROQUET (Nymplticus cormdus), 
an inhabitant of New Caledonia, is remarkable for 
having, springing from the crown of the head, a pair 
of slender dusky feathers, about an inch and a half 
long, with crimson tips ; its general colour is green, 
with the head orange-red, and the wings and tail blue- 
black. The length of this species is about eleven 
inches. 
THE KING PARROQUET [Aprosmictus scapulatus), 
an inhabitant of New South Wales, dwells principally 
in the brushes, where it generally finds sufficient nour- 
ishment in the shape of fruits and seeds, but on the 
ripening of the Indian corn crops, descends upon these 
in great flocks, and often occasions a great deal of 
damage. It has the head,, neck, and lower surface 
scarlet, the back and wings green, the rump and upper 
tail-coverts deep blue, the tail black, and the bill 
scarlet, ’ 
THE GROUND PARROQUET {Fezopiorus formosus). 
— Although the Australian parroquets in general are 
adapted, by the length of their tarsi and the general 
structure of their feet, for walking and running with 
facility upon the ground, whore indeed they generally 
seek the seeds which constitute their principal food, 
there are some, forming the genera Fesoporus, Nanodes, 
and MelopsiUacus, which ai)pear to be especially 
organized for a teiTestrial existence. Hence they are 
commonly known as Ground and Grass Farroquets. 
The present species, which is a native of the southern 
parts of Australia and of Van Diemen’s Land, measures 
rather more than twelve inches in length, including its 
long pointed tail ; its plumage is of a lively green 
colour above, elegantly spotted with black, whilst the 
lower surface is vaiiegated with delicate, undulated, 
transverse bars of green, black, and yellow. At the 
base of the upper mandible there is an orange-red 
band. This cluftming little bird is met with some- 
times in sandy barren districts covered with tufts of 
grass and herbage, sometimes about swampy flats ; it 
passes nearly the whole of its time upon the ground, is 
never seen to perch, and when flushed takes a short 
flight, and then alighting again, runs on until it finds 
a place of safety. It even deposits its eggs on tlie 
ground. Mr. Gould says that its flesh is excellent, 
and much more delicate than that of the snipe. 
THE WARBLING GRASS PARROQUET {Meloqmttacus 
undulalus), a lovely little species, nearly allied to the 
preceding, is found exclusively in the vast plains of 
central Australia, where it occurs in great abundance, 
flying in flocks of many hundreds, and feeding on the 
seeds of the grasses with which those deserts are 
clothed. The length of this species is about seven 
inches ; the colour of its plumage above is olive-green, 
delicately marked with undulated black or dusky lines ; 
the head and back of the neck are yellowish-green, 
with a small azure patch upon each cheek ; the lower 
surface is of a delicate yellowish-green colour ; the two 
middle tail-feathers are green at the base, and blue at 
the extremity, and the remainder are green, tinged 
with yellow in the middle. 
Although there is notliing brilliant in tlie colouring 
of this little parroquet, the general effect of its plumage 
is highly pleasing, and, taken in conjunction with the 
elegance of its form, renders it one of the most charm- 
ing members of its tribe. It is also distinguished by 
the possession of a soft warbling note, a sort of inwanl 
song, and for this and its other good qualities, it has of 
late years received much notice as a cage bird, its 
manners in confinement being at once lively and affec- 
tionate. When two or more are kept together, they 
are continually engaged in mutual acts expressive of 
fondness, sometimes billing like pigeons, sometimes 
