Dr. Hamilton—Parrot Diseases in the Wild State



59



and again in Formosa, was imported a few years ago for a well-known

aviculturist.


Another beautiful Pitta which has been imported several times, is

the Blue-winged Pitta (Pitta molaccensis), a bird with a very wide

distribution, being found in Burma, Siam, the Malay Peninsula,

Sumatra, Borneo, south China, and the Philippines.


In conclusion, I might also mention the New Guinea Pitta ( Pitta

atricapilla), a bird belonging to the green-breasted group, and I believe

there are one or two examples at the present moment in the Zoological

Society’s gardens. This, I think, is a complete list of all the species

which from time to time have been imported into this country. Making

a total of sixteen out of the fifty known species.



PARROT DISEASES IN THE WILD STATE


By Dr. W. Hamilton (South Australia)


In August, 1929, spring and nesting time in South Australia, I took

ten days holiday, and made a quick dash to the west coast. A thirty-

six hours journey by steamer and rail.


Arrived at 5 a.m. at a small bush railway siding, where I was

met by a patient of mine, who drove me 8 miles to his house,

which I made my headquarters for the next ten days.


I had personally made six new trapping cages—being optimistic—

and with a new pair of nets 24 feet long and a Neophema

elegans as a call bird, I felt that the Scarlet-chested Parrot (Neophema

splendida ) was going to be unlucky enough to be caught. The day

after my arrival we drove to the mission station, and tried to get

some information about the Parrot. Humours were numerous, and

we drove from farm to farm, asking if any had been seen, but without

having any luck.


The Aboriginals suggested trying a spring some miles inland from

the mission station, and well into the desert. This spring had been

known from time immemorial, and surely would be a likely place for

birds to drink, especially as it was the only water for miles around

that had been there before the white man came.



