r 3 6 
PARROTS. 
severely; while it is an undesirable inhabitant of an aviary, on account of its 
propensity to attack and disable smaller birds. 
Ground- The long-tailed 
Parraquets. ground-parraquet, or 
swamp-parraquet (Pezoporus formosus), 
and the short-tailed ground-parraquet 
(Geopsittacus occidentalis), are two 
peculiar Australian species, of terrestrial 
habits, and easily distinguished from 
all others by the alternate dark and 
light bars with which the feathers of 
the tail are marked; hence the name 
of “ pheasant-cuckoo ” which is some¬ 
times' applied to the former. The 
swamp-parraquet may be compared 
in size to a thrush, its total length 
being 12| inches, of which the tail 
takes up 74 inches. It is characterised 
by the length of the tail, which exceeds 
that of the wings, and also by its long 
and straight nails; while the legs are 
also of considerable relative length. 
Its general colour is green, with a band 
of dark orange on the forehead, and 
the feathers of the crown and nape 
marked with a broad median streak 
of black. The remainder of the body 
plumage is mottled with irregular bands 
of black and yellow; the quills are 
brown, greenish outwardly, and marked 
with a yellow spot ; and the bars on 
the tail-feathers are alternately green 
BUDGERIGARS. J n 
and yellow. 
The “ Old Bushman ” writes that the swamp-parraquet “ lives on the ground 
(but I have seen them perch on the tea-tree scrub), runs much and quickly, is hard 
to rise, flies in jerks, goes away very sharp before a wind, and is very pretty shoot¬ 
ing, rising from the grass and heather. We used to find them during the whole 
year, frequenting different localities at different times; and although they could 
scarcely be said to flock, I generally rose three or four on the same spot. Dogs 
will set them like quail.” They generally frequent sandy tracts covered with 
sparse grass and other herbage, and are but rarely seen in the neighbourhood of 
trees. The eggs are laid on the bare ground, and are brooded by both sexes in turn. 
The short-tailed ground-parraquet of the south and south-west of Australia differs 
by the tail being shorter than the wings, and the short and curved claws, as well 
as in coloration. It is essentially a nocturnal bird, spending the day in holes in 
the ground, and only issuing forth at sunset to wander abroad in search of food. 
