PEZOPORÏJ^ FORMOSUS, ni.
Ground Parrakeet.
Psitt acus formosus. L p. 103.—Kuhl, Consp. Psitt, in Nova Acta, vpl. x. p, 4 5 ,
— — terrestris, 3.—Ib. Nat. Mise., pL 228.
Perruche, ingambé, Le - des P^^fetm. i. p. g6. pll: 32.
Blâck-spottgd PafrdM^^WVan Diemen's Land, D’Entrecast.* Vov.livol.l||pfl 47. pi. x.
^Ground, P§rr<gÿ,^ LatbA Gen. Sfn^^rop^vpl. ii. p ^ 6,.^Sh.aw?s' Gen. Zqjpl,, yol. viii. p. 454. pi. 66.—Lath, Gen.
* Hist., vol. ii. p. 137.
Pezoporus formosus, 111. Prod., p. 201.—Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., yol. xy . p. 285.—Wagl. Mon. Psitt, in
' S~^^fc^^ÿpp- 490 and 520.4^J|^àinsv Class.' of Birds,ï^Lii. p; 305.—G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, 2nd
Edife^p.,,6;^ V ^
Boo-rtm-duf-dee, Aborigines northward' Ô^Perth^^Westera Australia.
Djafr-doon-gur-ree, A^w^n^s-around Përthkv •
Djul-latnja, A^ori^^southTsrgrd of Perth.
GeorgefsSouhch ••.
Goolifi^m^Aib^^QM near Sydney, NeYgSout^^^le0 ’:
Swamp ParraÆee^n^limsts^r^ a i^M^^m-sfiLaDd.
Ground Pari'akeet) Grilonists of^New^Soù^^ipI^^mâ Western Australia.
T he-Ground Parrakeet is diffused & e r: the whole||§§|he southern portions of Australia, including Van Die-
p # # s toad;, Wherever could learn, it is everywhere a
htati©ary s p e c if I t H ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ b e e n observed l p l ^ ^ o r i ^ ^ l a t i t u d e s of the continent, buhgpg knowledge
ofthe, prod action s-oftbose parts of Australia is that I cannot positively affirm that
i t does not exist there. . ' of fhe Afiy&feiheh^ are inelegant |n|ph:m and
slow and ungracefuLrii^ M ^ ^ ae@)ns, the Pezoporui formom^ ^ ^ ^ ^ m f ^ d . graceful as can well he
imagined flaM ^thougBan;i% ^^iii-jmg it cannot v ic ^ ^ ^ ^ ^m e - o f ,m o r e gaudily attired„brethren, it
possesses a styl^^aplnmage andp^yersity, j^ j^ i^ jp g |j:f ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ n n p le a s ih f i^ ^ S v iB g very frequently
encountered i t i g ^ state*of4n#uM, l am enabled to state that hrifjgAaetiopl ^ [ iff^ ^ ro ju . every other known
species of its race, as it also ddesMir^ ^ihabits and economy, which I shall nowCa!^^p|^to describe.
Whether-the power of perching i^^mlelYgdenied to ithn^not I am uhcer^n» never saw it fly into a
tre e ^ ^ E ^ u lO ^ e y e ^ fo l^M 1^ to take :on the branches. I t u s u a f ^ f l ^ ^ ^ I iL ther^ sandy sterile
districts ed d ie d with tofts of rank grass and herbage, dr low swampy flats aboundmg'^ith rushes and the
other kindffpf^egetation m i l i a r to sueh s itu a tio n s f it is generally observed ,e |||e r sjnglribgtin pairs, but
from its very recluse habits and great pp^ersAof running it is seldom or ever adeMut^iMit is flushed, and
then -only forvutshort time, as it soon pitches again and runs off to a place of ^elusion, often under the
eoy^rt of the Grass-tree (Xg«^Qrr^fgali^Sidnkabdunds i,n the districts ifc^frequents. A ^ ^ i n g analogy
in^the foregoing habits th e |g |Jlih # b |e and some of t^e>^r^at9Ees,#-Snipes,i^^ is very apparent
; and a stmh further analogy to tb o se^ ib e s of birds is exhibited i n j f e . erouching^on
the approach of danger and in the strong s ^ | ^ ^ B . t s , wjiich has to road it,
and deadas thfey.wouldhave done h|^game,been l>e%re them? consequently, when Shooting over
swampy sportsman is neve^certain whether a ^ r , r ^ ^ or a snipe1 w i l lg jjg a J b £
point of h ri dog. I t flies nearitM gfou^^,wi|l^;great rapidity, frequently making several turns in the
short distance of a jS h d re d yards, beyond wmgh it seldom passes withouttaga1^^x t d |f e ^ B the ground.
Its flesh is'&cellent, being .muchAmqre d e lic Ite d ^ ^ ^ o u r than that of the sn|p|i and eau^ing, if not'sur-
passing, that of the qhaij,v^its white eggs, the number of which I ^ g i^ ^ tp t ascqgtain, aieueppsited on the
bare ground. I possess examples^ of the youngApl^p a g ^ ^ f f ^ ^ egg ;t o :m J ^ ^ ^ |) ^ e © ie d in Van
Diemen’s Land, and oth^Sfrom various parts of--j|iist:ral^ ^ also ^pj-ocured | | | p adults and young on
Flinders’ Island, where I found them breeding on the grassy the^gre^el^ortiop^of that
island. M f e i g assume the colouring blithe" adudt at a je ry early age ^ ut'the sexes offer ^ ^ x f e r n a T
difference by which tbey|g|Mbe distinguished.
Plumage of the>whole of the upper surface dark grass-green, each feathej crossed by irregular bands of
black and yellow y feathers of the. crown and nape witji a broad ||rbiJfeofcJ>lacb down the centre; forehead
scarlet - neck and breast pale yellowish green, passing' into brightgfeenish yellow on the abdomen an<F
under tail-coverts, crossed-by%nwnjpus irregular waved blackish bands; primaries and spurious wings
green On their o u te f ilb s and d a l p h rQ ^ ^ K i e inh^:, e^ fc o f # e latter with | tri|p |u la r spO^bf pale
yellow near the base ; four eenfre tail-feathers green, c rossifeb^^pierous narrow b f yellow; lateral
tail-feathers yellow, crossed; by numerous lU l t t f d e e ^ g r# p ;|irides black ^ it^ ^ f ln e ring of light grey;
feet and legs bluish f le s h # ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The figures are