338 Neophema—The Birds of the Adelaide Zoological Gardens


are at present about twenty examples in the Gardens, no less than

sixteen having been reared from three breeding pairs last season, and

thirteen from two pairs in the previous season.


About five pairs of the King Parrakeet (Aprosmictus scapularis)

are on exhibition. One pair nested last season but failed to rear their

young.


Two fine pairs of the Crimson-winged Parrakeet [Aprosmictus

erythropterus) are always much admired. One pair which have been in

the Zoo for many years reared a single young one last year, the first

occasion on which they have nested, the second pair, recently acquired,

nested in captivity a few seasons ago. One pair of the Red-sided

Eclectus [Lorius pectoralis) show indications of going to nest at the

present time, they are probably the New Guinea race. The other

New Guinea bird wffiich has been discovered in Northern Australia

fairly recently, the Red-cheeked Parrot [Geoffroyus geoffroyi), has never

been exhibited. A single Shining Parrakeet [Pyrrhulopsis splendens)

was exhibited during the year. It was a very old bird and did not

survive very long.


Turning now to the Broad-tailed Parrakeets, several examples of

all the eight species of Rosella are exhibited, namely the Crimson or

Pennants [Platycercus elegans), the Adelaide [P. adelaidse), the Yellow

or Yellow-rumped [P. flaveolus), the Green or Yellow-bellied [P. cale-

donicus), the Pale-headed or Mealy [P. adseitus), the Northern or

Brown’s [P. venustus), the Eastern (P. eximius), and the Western or

Stanley (P. icterotis). Most of these birds are common and no particular

effort has been made to breed from them with the exception of Brown’s,

of which there are two pairs. The eggs from one of these have always

been infertile, while the second pair, recently acquired, hatched but

failed to rear their young. All the Rosellas are hardy birds with the

exception of the Mealy which is difficult to acclimatize in the southern

states. There are about a dozen specimens of the rare Pileated or

Red-capped Parrakeet [Porpureicephalus spurius), a near ally of the

Rosellas, in excellent condition and one pair at the present time show

every indication of going to nest.


The Australian Ring-necked Parrakeets [Barnardius) are with

one exception common birds and at present one pair of the Mallee or



