274 Sydney Porter—Notes on the Cyanorhamphus Parrakeets


shores of New Zealand, are now greatly reduced in numbers and are

found only in the most remote forested districts as well as on several

of the islands off the coast.


The two species mentioned, the Red-fronted Parrakeets and the

Yellow-fronted Parrakeets, were very well known to British aviculturists

forty or more years ago, and were bred with comparative ease in the

aviaries of several bird-keepers. But it was the same with these as with

any other bird which was comparatively easy to obtain, people did

not bother to breed them and they just died out. Now these interesting

species will never grace our aviaries again.


The Antipodes Island Parrakeet [Cyanorhamphus unicolor)


This unique Parrakeet is confined to a tiny island far distant from

New Zealand, and well on the way to the chill Antarctic Ocean. Very

few specimens have been brought away alive. Buffer, the great New

Zealand naturalist, had several; the Zoological Society had one or two

many years ago ; in fact, the type was described from a bird in the

possession of the Society, the habitat of which was then unknown, and

recently the Marquess of Tavistock possessed a single example. This

bird, which is doubtless the last which will ever reach these shores,,

was procured by a sailor from a small ship which stopped at the island.

The bird was knocked over with a stick by the man on the shore, which

shows how fearless this species is in a wild state.


I had great hopes of visiting the lonely island which forms the homo

of this strange Parrakeet, for I thought that I might be able to get

as a passenger on the small Government steamer which once a year

visits the islands in the far south in search of castaways and also to

replenish the food store on the islands which is kept in case any

unfortunate individuals get shipwrecked there. But, alas ! I found

out from the High Commissioner in London that, owing to means of

economy, the steamer no longer visited the islands in the borders of

the Antarctic, and the would-be castaways are now left to their fate !


Every inquiry possible was made, and I found that the only means

of getting there was to charter a special ship, which would have to be of

a large tonnage owing to the tempestuous seas. The price asked was-



