PARRAQUETS. 
T 33 
The broadtails, of which the best known example is the Rose 
Broadtails. . x . 
Hill broadtail, or Rosella parraquet (Platycercus eximius), take their 
name from the breadth of the tail-feathers, which are not acuminate. The bill is 
distinctly notched; and the feathers of the back are black, with broad, light 
edgings, and presenting a general scale-like appearance. The genus, of which 
there are thirteen species, is restricted to Australia, Tasmania, and Norfolk 
Island. 
The Rose Hill broadtail is one of the handsomest of the Australian parrots, 
and belongs to a group of three species, in which the cheeks are white and the head 
red. Its coloration may be briefly indicated by saying that the head, neck, and 
breast are red; the cheeks white, the nape yellow; the feathers of the back black, 
with greenish yellow borders; the rump, upper tail-coverts, and lower part of the 
abdomen yellowish green; and the lower breast yellow, with a scarlet band in the 
middle. A large portion of the wings is blue; and while the two middle tail- 
feathers are green tipped with blue, the outer ones are darker. The total length is 
13j inches. This species inhabits South-Eastern Australia and Tasmania. It 
generally assembles in small flocks, and, although strong on the wing, is not 
migratory. Its favourite haunts are open districts, and it specially frequents 
cultivated lands, where it inflicts much damage on the crops. In addition to seeds 
of various kinds, this parraquet is believed to consume insects and their larvae. 
It may be distinguished from most other parrots by its cry, which is described as 
a kind of chattering or warbling, with some approach to a whistle. Frequently 
the flocks may be observed feeding on the ground, and exhibiting little fear of 
man, except when they have been much fired at. In the breeding-season these 
birds collect in large companies, making their nests in hollow trees, where from 
four to eight or occasionally twelve eggs are laid; the males taking no share 
in the work of incubation. Although a very noisy bird, the Rose Hill broadtail is 
well adapted to captivity, being active and lively in its habits, and during the 
breeding-season dancing and singing in an amusing manner. It has frequently 
bred in Europe. 
Grass- The grass-parraquets, of which the turquoisine {Neophema 
Parraquets. pulchella) is the most familiar example, form a small genus restricted 
to the south of Australia and Tasmania. They belong to a group of genera 
readily distinguished from the broadtails by the uniform coloration of the feathers 
of the back; and are specially characterised by the bill being deeper than long, 
without any notch in its upper mandible, by the absence of a yellow collar on 
the neck, and the nearly uniform length of the four middle feathers of the tail. 
The turquoisine is about the size of a lark, its total length being 8J inches, of 
which rather more than half is occupied by the tail. It derives its name from the 
turquoise-blue on the front of the head and wing-coverts. The general colour of 
the upper-parts is green, with the forehead, a streak over the eye, the cheeks, and 
wing-covers turquoise-blue; the breast, abdomen, and the under tail-coverts are 
rich yellow, the sides green, and the inner wing-coverts marked by a chestnut-red 
patch. The outer upper wing-coverts, together with the under-coverts, are bright 
blue; while the primaries and primary-coverts are deep blue. In the tail the four 
middle feathers are green with black tips, and the remainder bluish green at the 
