EXJPHEMA ^URANTIA, Gould.
Orange-bellied Grass-Parrakeet.1
Eupkema aurantia, Gould, in Proc SmCyVlvt Id, lh 10.
; mo^r.H ih r pn scut. hiSSm i iorian ele.«infr in ■ form. with 5fphri.|b§nt a frontal band as several
others pf Apt sroupp'lt- tins received an ample compensation in the rich orange mark that adoms the under
sprt-u'p a character bvwhi(lx it uyy !;c disiiiigui-ht d VtO^hcnkiiown species. Like the Evphema
chrysostomajit is ii -iinum r cijit m^po' V in. Dn mi n*- Land, and they maysoutetun^ he foimd associating
together haveobtaiui d ’'HU-nm Us iu»h 1 dine- whu&>l Ijilicic ilu other is never seen. I observed it
jp a iijiL'K di-iici-c dj in tin jiy^hbouriioniUoi lloharr lopYtj.and Voy N jrtglk; but found it in far greater
h j S t m ee pp the Ac tion Islands, H a t e entrance of D’Entrecasteaux Channel. These Sgjdl islands are
enyerej -with glasses and sernh. affiffimuli d will* a, ipuntitj*1 of a species of Barilla, nriply allied to
Atnplex halmus; and almost the onlyTandJiiril 'that enlivens tlnV i S S y Bj&ts, is the p ^A tb e a u tifu l
Parrakeet.5,1 feffijgntiy flushed small flockj^of Aem toWamong the g fap, when they almost immediately
alighted mM SEB idllahushes around ipe* th e h jp |rk lin g orange b d ji|s f ir a g® ,jrstaking contrast with[-
the green ofth&Q^sr paytsof their plumage and-Ae s ^ ^ f ^ i a g e .pM ^ ^ ^ |u p o m v h i e k f t^ Teste4- I
made many attgtnpfefg^th^ivni: their bj^dingjilaces, but sdway§yg!iS*^§®yi as & ?ev er these islands
"aj'e destitute of large trees. I W induced to4jgj||re Aa t they IayAesreggs m d&teSf °P ' ‘he ground, or
among' the stones yn l i S p I U liiJTr disturbiit A s p b is y flew off;( f the neighbonring
islands, OrbS the main land, uttering '^ i h g ^ 'v ’sndppinn'juiiep^y of their associates, the
w.7 k^,„ chrysostoma. Cfa^vis^og ^ S i |n ? te lja in winter, I there found i£ e q i i ^ ^ ^ ^ B o n the flat,
marshy grounds bordering Ae coast; especially between the Port ^ d p k f id e a n d ^ p if a s t Bay. Specimens
qoHseted in winter and summer, and in localities distant; from.egi^othe^ present no difference whatever id"
Aeir plumage. ?
It may he a casual visitor t g j f e e South Wales and Swan River, but I have not yet seen it nr any'
collections from those parts of Australia.
Frontal hand Utafi, margined' before and f e b . ^ # k t f t . ? |® f aint hue 9f%re£nish hluep crown of the
head and all the upper S a n e deep grass-green ;jb<?uldeis, many o^Ai'segopdaries, and outer edges of
the primaries deep mdigo-blye; lores, cheeks and breast yellowish grejn, passing. inA g re e n is b /^w .o n
the abdomen and under tail.jcovsrts, the centre of the a h d e g ^ ^ ^ g - M n teen te d jnA a large spot of
rich orange; ted. centre tail-feathers gre en; the next on each side blackish brown on Ac B H E B 1 green-
on the outer webs’; the remainder H i l i H on Aeir inner and green on .their o ^ s r webs, and
largely tipped wiA bright yellow; hides very dark brown dark brown, ^ ^ h g h t e r on the under
sid e ; legs and feet dull brown. _ ,... v ,, ,
Xhe female possesses the orange spot in common w if f im male, |^ h o u g h p ^ her case, i t .» neither sq
extensive nor so brilliant.
The figures represent a male and a female, on Ia branch of the Barilla plant, of the natural size.