M E JL O B ^ S irT T A S U S M—
MELOPSITTACUS UNDULATUS.
Warbling Grass-Parrakeet.
Psittacus undulatus, Shaw, Nat. Mise.,, ri-- .67S-—rKuhl, Cousp. Psitt, in Nova Acta, &c., vol. x. p. 49.
Undulated Parrot, Lath Gçn Hist, \79, pl xxvï
Undulated Parrakeet, ■ Psittacus undulatus, Shaw, Gen. Zool-, vol. viii. p. 409.
Nanodes undulatus, Vig-. and ‘Hdrsf. in Linn. T^'àns^ voP^v^pî'sÿÿi-^êÿlï; Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiv.
1 X9.—Lear’s 111. Psitfc/'plfTO^^eléy.'Nalf. Lib., Parrots, p, 181, pl.19.
Euphema «»dtitoa, Wagl. fflehl ‘Pfcftt. iffi®Kto&?«e:,'pp. 493, 845, andf07. ' '
Canary Parrot, Coriînistsr ’’ '
Betcherrygah, Natives of Liverpool Plains. *
Among the numerous members of tbe,rainily,ptf'.d’arr()ts.iiihabitm<r, Australia,’this lovely little bird is pre
eminent both for beauty of plumage and elegance of form, which, together with its extreme cheerfulness
-oil deposition and sprightliness of manner, gender .it ianL espepialr&vourite with all who..have had an
opportunity of seeing it alive. This animated disposition is as conspicuous in confinement as in its native
wilds ; a pair flinvw'hefnrc. tne.nViyin exuberant health after havings braved! the sWegraes o f a passage to
this country by. wav of Cape f fern. in..^ie midst of winter,,
The first notice of this species was published by Dr. Shaw in his “ Naturalist’s Miscellany,'’ and until
’ lately / a single specimen, forming part pf, the ..collection nf iK^^^ean^yOieiety. was the only one known;
more recently, however, numbers have, been added to our museums, md the bird is now far from being
scarce, j&alt probability it,is generally disperied*i8,eeSthe''central parts of Australia; but is so exclusively
ggWW M pm t inland plains, or J A m r a * ) call it, basin ofijjkq interior, that it is rarely seen
between the mountain-ranges and thecoast. , luetbe,'vyipile southern portion of tbp.imirinueii't/bt is.strictly
migratory, appearing in large flocks% t m g g j f . ^ M w l l » 3 ygMpB ^ a « A after
th e breeding-season is (yyerfto more northern latitudes. My friend Captain Sturt, in one tpf his letters,
dated at Adelaide, South Australia, informs me, that “ ThydScpUoped l’arrakeets,” tht^^iineygiven to these
birds in that part of th e^unjpy. “ are found in vast HoiK.mahr.<mTi r ia r ^ f s ^ f lpM ie lr appearance here
ahouf October, following each othgrhm flights H k ^ S in g s p in company with the little Crested Parrot
(jfymphicvt Noca:-Hollandire),’^ \ § i n ^ a due north and" south-course. The flight'of both is very rapid,
and although im S e r r f o f half an hqU^may ehipse.theysSH'qgfl^thsfrway in the same direetiph. Whence
On arriving at Bred, to the north of jjtyhrpaol Plains, in the beginning of December, I found myself surrounded
by numbers, breeding in all the hollow- spouts of the large Eucalypti hoid^mg the Mokai; and on
crossing the plains between that river and tjhjgPeel, in th(£(te|%m’of the Turi Mountain, I saw them in
flocks of manv-hipidjedsrfleeditig upon the gtass-seeds that were there abundant. So numerous were they,
that I determined to encamp on the spot, ,in order to observeth^ habits and procure, specimens.. The
nature of their fopd and the exclusive heat of these plains powjje^fet^frequently to seek the water;
hence my camp, which was pitched near some small pools, was constantly surrounded by large numbers,
arriving in flocks varying from twenty to a hundred or more, - Tbghour*,at which they were most numerous
were early in the morning, and some time before dusktin’ibe cyeuing, Before,gg^g down to drink, they
alight on the neighbouring trees, settling together in. chistersj'sometuies on the dead branches, and at others
on the droopinghoughs of the Eucalypti. Their flight is remarkably Straight and rapid, and is generally accompanied
by a screeching noise.- - During the heat of the day, wheu'sjgfflg motionless among the leaves of. the
gum-trees, they so closely assimilate in .colour, particidarly on the 'breast, that, .t(jpy are witbr difficulty
isssfissl*' . ,
It is known that migratory birds after a tin?® forsake the districts they have been accustomed to frequent,
and resort to others where they had scarcely ever before heen seem ^^confirmation of this view,.I may state,
that; i d natiyes had never before observed this species in the districts where I found i t so abondant,-
whils on the lower Named, where formerly, they lg |fb e e n very numerous^ t e f wae th™ year scarcely one
to be found. .
The breeding-season is at its height in December, and by the end of the month the young are generally
„ .p -b l. of p o i i n g f o r themselves ; they then assemble in vast flights, preparatory, to i p r great migratory
movement. The eggs are three or four in number, pure white, mhdrijfiSsS; long by-seven lines in diameter,
and are deposited iji t^g holes and spouts of the gum-trees ^&^ut,,apy nestt. ^ •
The beauty and interesting nature of this little bird naturally made me anxious to bring home living
examples ; I accordingly captured about twenty fully fledged birds, and kept them alive for some lime; but the
difficulties necessarily attendant upon travelling in a new country rendering it impracticable to aflbrd them
the attention they required, I regret to say the whole were lost. My brother-in-law, Mr. Charles Coxen,
who resides on the Peel, having succeeded in rearing several, kindly presented meiTsiftftw. two of which,