HORN EXPEDITION—AVES. 
61 
The measurements of the latter specimen are taken from a fine old male; length 
of spatulate tip, O'75 inch; beyond the end of the second primary, 0-5 inch. 
Many specimens of this delicately-coloured Parrakeet were collected at Glen 
Edith. They are all in splendid plumage and condition, and form the finest series 
of cabinet skins of this species yet obtained. In very old males the upper portion 
of the cheeks is strongly suffused with rosy pink ; the pale bluish wash on the 
forehead and crown of the head extends on to the nape; the lower back and rump 
are of a much deeper blue, and the tibial plumes and lower sides of the body are 
conspicuously stained with rosy-red and lilac. 
In the accompanying plate the singular form and chaste colouring of this 
beautiful Parakeet—the one best fitted of all our Australian birds to bear the 
name of the illustrious lady to whom it has been dedicated—has been most 
faithfully pourtrayed by Mr. Neville Cayley. 
The food of this species consists almost exclusively of small grass-seeds, 
Mr. Fred. Turner, F.L.S., to whom I have submitted the contents of a crop of one 
of these birds for examination, has referred the seeds to the following species :— 
Triodia Benth, one of the “ porcupine ” grasses ; Danthonia bipartita. 
F. V. M., one of the “mulga” grasses, and Portulaca oieracea, Linn., or “Purslane.” 
The seeds of the latter plant, Mr. Turner informs me, were at one time used as an 
article of food by the aborigines of the interior of Australia. 
[Although these handsome Parrakeets were first discovered over thirty years 
ago by Mr. F. G. Waterhouse during Stuart’s Expedition into Central Australia at 
Howell’s Ponds, their habit of avoiding the neighbourhood of settlement has 
rendered the collection of specimens or information regarding them somewhat 
difficult. During the time which has elapsed since they were first met with 
several expeditions have traversed the wilds of Central Australia ; but I believe 
they have only been shot on three or four occasions, and only one pair of live 
birds has been brought to civilisation. They were secured by Mr. Alex. Magarey 
at Crown Point, and afterwards brought to Adelaide. The fact of so few being 
seen may be due to the singular habit the bird has of lying along the stout limbs 
of the tree like a lizard, instead of adopting the style of most other Parrots and 
perching on a twig or thin branch. Although all members of our party were 
keeping a keen watch for them all along the route, they were only met with once, 
on 16th June, in a desert oak forest between Glen Edith and Deering Creek. The 
advance party had halted for lunch, and on my arrival Professor Tate said he had 
seen a strange-looking Parrot in the oaks near at hand. I started off in the 
