J. F. M. Floyd—The Orange-bellied Grass Parrot



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but how this came to be in Uruguay is a bit of a mystery. I also noticed

other exotics in the way of Java Sparrows, Waxbills, and Ring-necked

and Silver Pheasants. There were a few Amazons and a very fine Red

and Blue Macaw priced at £3, which I would have bought had I not

anticipated staying for some time in Buenos Aires.


(To be continued.)



THE ORANGE-BELLIED GRASS PARROT


(N. Chrysogaster)


By J. F. M. Floyd


Some nine years ago, a party of ornithologists who were in the

south-east of South Australia on a bird observing expedition, noticed

some Parrots of the Neophema group feeding on the grass near a lake.


There were about twenty of these birds, and, as they rose in flight,

one was shot for purposes of identification.


When the bird was picked up, it was found to be the Orange-

bellied Grass Parrakeet which had been thought to be extinct or

nearly so.


No report of the existence of these birds had been received for

many years. Early in the twentieth century one had been shot by a

resident of Robe, and forwarded to the Museum for identification.


The news of the reappearance of this rare Parrot naturally caused

some excitement among the ornithologists, and also among the avi-

culturists, several of whom decided that they would like to see a

pair of these birds in their aviaries.


Many years ago when that great ornithologist, Gould, toured

Australia and classified most of its birds, the Orange-bellied Parrot

at that time had its habitat in the southern portion of Tasmania.


It was known to nest in or on the low broken-oif ti-tree stumps,

2 or 3 feet from the ground, and it was this rather foolish habit which

made it an easy prey to foxes and other enemies, and it was considered

that these factors might ultimately lead to its extinction.



