ORDER XVII.—PSITTACIFORMES.
F. 72. Nestoridae, Nestor, Kaka, Kea, 4 sp. A. (N.Z.).
F. 73. LORIIDAE (9), BRUSH-TONGUED PARROTS, LORIES, LORIKEETS, 87 sp. A.
3
16
184[*] Blue Mountain Lorikeet (-Parrot), Rainbow Lory, Blue—bellied (Swainson) Lorikeet, Trichoglossus novae-hollandiae, N.A., E.A., S.A., T.
Nom. flocks c. eucalypts 14
Head, throat, abdomen blue; chest blood-red tinged yellow; back green; bill blood-red; f., sim. Honey. Screech.
3
5
185[*] Musk Lorikeet, Green Keet, Green Leek (e), Glossopsittacus concinnus, E.A., S.A., T.
[~185-187 Genus, Glossopsitta.]
Nom. v.c. flowering eucalypts 8.5
Green; forehead, behind ear red; bill black tipped red; f., sim. Honey. Screech.
186 Purple-crowned Lorikeet, G. porphyrocephalus, N.S.W. V., S.A., W.A.
[~185-187 Genus, Glossopsitta.]
Nom. flocks with 185. r. eucalypts 6.5
Green; forehead red, yellow; behind ear fainter red, yellow; crown purple; behind head yellowish-green; shoulder light-blue; under wing crimson; under greenish-gray; flanks, under-tail golden-green; bill black; f., sim. Honey. Screech.
187 Little Lorikeet, Jerryang, G. pusillus, E.A., S.A., T.
[~185-187 Genus, Glossopsitta.]
Nom. flocks with 185. c. eucalypts 6.5
Green; face deep-red; hind-neck brown; wings black edged green; tail feathers grass-green, inner webs red at base, yellowish at tip; f., smaller. Honey. Screech.
F. 74. CYCLOPSITTACIDAE (2), Fig-Parrots, 23 sp. A.
F. 75. CACATUIDAE (17), COCKATOOS, 29 sp.—28(28)A., 1(1)O. (Philippine Is.).
7
7
188 Black Cockatoo, Funereal Black Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus funereus, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., T., King Is.
Small flocks, r. timber 26
Black; ear-patch, under tail yellow; f., sim. Wood-boring larvae. Seeds. "Wy-la."
189 Banksian Cockatoo, Banksian Black Cockatoo, C. banksi, E.A., S.A.
r. timber 24
Glossy greenish-black; vermilion-red band on tail; f., yellow side of head, neck. Caterpillars, seeds.
190 Glossy Cockatoo (Leach Black), C. viridis, E.A., S.A.
Small flocks, r. timber 19.5
Glossy greenish-black; deep vermilion-red on tail; f., no vermilion on tail. Sheoak (Casuarina) seeds.
1
1
191[*] Gang-gang Cockatoo (Red-crowned), Red-crowned Parrot (e), Galah (e), Callocephalum galeatum, S.Q., N.S.W., V., T., King Is.
[~191 Genus, Callocephalon.]
v.r. forest 13.5
Head, crest fine scarlet; rest slate-gray barred grayish-green; wings tinged green; under tinged red; f., head, crest gray. Eucalypt seeds.
5
17
192 White Cockatoo (Sulphur-crested), Cacatua galerita, A., T., King Is.
[~192-194 Genus, Cacatöes.]
Nom. Flocks, v.c. timber, open plains 20
White; crest, under wing, portion of tail sulphur-yellow; f., sim. Seeds, grain, native bread, bulbous roots, grasshoppers' eggs. Screech.
193[*] Pink Cockatoo (Leadbeater), Major Mitchell, C. leadbeateri, Int. A.
[~192-194 Genus, Cacatöes.]
Nom. r. lofty gums 16
"Most beautiful and elegant" cockatoo; white; forehead, neck, under wing, middle abdomen, base of tail salmon pink becoming deeper under wing; crest crimson, yellow, white; eyes black; f., yellow in crest brighter; eyes reddish-brown. Plaintive cry.
194[*] Rose-breasted Cockatoo, Galah, Willie-willock, Willock, C. roseicapilla, A., T. (acc).
[~192-194 Genus, Cacatöes.]
Nom. large flocks, c. plains 14
Upper gray; under deep rose pink; head pinky-white; "the second most beautiful of cockatoos;" f., sim. Seeds, salt-bush.
2
2
195 Long-billed Cockatoo, Corella, Licmetis nasica, N. Ter., N.S.W., V., S.A.
[~195 Licmetis tenuirostris.]
Flocks r. ground 17
White; under wing pale-yellow; under tail bright-yellow; forehead, face scarlet; neck, breast tinged scarlet; naked blue skin round eye; long bill, 1⅝ in.; f., sim. Bulbous roots.
1
1
196[*] Cockatoo-Parrot, Cockatiel, Quarrion, Calopsittacus novae-hollandiae, A.
[~196 Calopsitta novae-hollandiae.]
Mig. flocks, c. plains, timber 12
Forehead, crest lemon-yellow; ear-patch rich reddish-orange in a patch yellow above white below; upper, under gray; white on wings, chest; f., face, crest dull olive-yellow; tail barred brown. Seeds.
F. 76. PSITTACIDAE (47), PARROTS, Macaws, 433 sp.—144(144)A., 49(49)O., 42(42)E., 2(l)Nc., 197(196)Nl.
2
2
197[*] Superb Parrot (Scarlet-breasted), Green Leek, Barraband Parrakeet, Polytelis barrabandi, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A.
Stat. v.r. timber 16
Green; forehead, cheeks, throat rich gamboge-yellow; crescent of scarlet next to yellow on chest; bill yellow; sometimes red on thigh; f., green tinged dull rose on chest; thigh red. Seeds.
198[*] Black-tailed Parrot, Rock-Pebbler, Rock-Pebble, Smoker, P. melanura, N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A. (interior).
[~198 Polytelis anthopeplus.]
Nom. v.r. Box flats, timber 16
Head, neck, greenish-yellow; shoulders, under yellow; upper-back olive; wing-quills, tail iridescent black; some pink on wing; bill scarlet; f., duller. Seeds, honey.
1
9
199[*] King Parrot (Scarlet and Green, Spud), Blood Rosella, King Lory (e), Aprosmictus cyanopygius, E.A., S.A.
Stat. c. forest 16
"Showy, noble species;" head, neck, under scarlet; back, wings green; rump, base tail rich dark blue; band bright green on wing; bill scarlet; f., head, upper green; throat, chest green tinged red; abdomen scarlet; young male like female for two years. Bulbous roots, seeds.
| 219 Australian Roller 220 Blue Kingfisher 221 Laughing Kingfisher | 223 Sacred Kingfisher 224 Australian Bee-eater 227 Spine-tailed Swift | 229 Pallid Cuckoo 230 Fan-tailed Cuckoo 235 Bronze Cuckoo |
| 238 Welcome Swallow 240 Tree Martin 242 Brown Flycatcher | 244 Scarlet-breasted Robin 244a Scarlet-breasted Robin (Female) 245 Flame-breasted Robin | 245a Flame-breasted Robin (Female) 248 Red Capped Robin 248a Red Capped Robin (Female) |
16
16
200[*] Crimson Parrot, Crimson Rosella, Pennant Parrakeet, Red Lory (e), Mountain Lowry (e), Platycercus elegans, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A.
Stat. v.c. timber, open 13.5
Head, neck, under, rump rich deep crimson; feathers of back black, edged crimson; cheeks, shoulders blue; tail tipped pale-blue; f., sim.; young all green at first. Grass, seeds, insects, caterpillars.
201 Yellow Parrot, Yellow Rosella, Murray Smoker (e), Swamp Lory (e), Yellow-rumped Parrakeet, P. flaveolus, N.S.W., V., S.A. (interior).
Stat. v.r. lofty river gums 13.5
"Exceedingly lovely bird, a harmony in blue and canary yellow;" upper under canary-yellow; back feathers black edged pale-yellow; wing blue; tip quills dark-brown; tail tipped light blue and white; forehead crimson; cheeks blue; f., duller. Seeds.
202[*] Rosella, Rosehill Parrakeet, Nonpareil Parrot, P. eximius, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., T.
Stat. v.c. open timber 12.5
Crown, hind-neck, chest, under base tail scarlet; cheeks white; back feathers black edged rich yellow; rump, upper base tail, lower abdomen pale-green; centre-abdomen yellow; shoulders blue; tail tipped pale blue; f., young sim.
5
5
203[*] Mallee Parrot (Scrub), Barnard Parrakeet, Ring-neck, Bulla-Bulla, Barnardius barnardi, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A. (interior).
Stat. c. mallee scrub, water courses 13
Crown, chest, abdomen, rump rich-green; yellow band on hind-neck; forehead red; back bluish-gray; centre-abdomen orange; wing-quills black; shoulder blue; centre tail feathers green becoming deep iridescent blue at tip; side tail deep blue at base becoming bluish white at tip; bill horn color; f., sim. Seeds.
8
8
204[*] Blue-Bonnet, Bulloak Parrot, Yellow-vented Parrakeet, Psephotus zanthorrhous, N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A. (inland).
c. mallee-scrub, plains 12.5
Forehead, face blue; crown, upper, chest yellowish-gray; rump, under base tail, abdomen deep yellow, about legs scarlet; edge shoulder, patch on wing blue; wing-quills blackish-brown; f., duller. Seeds.
205[*] Many-colored Parrot (Varied, Mulga), P. multicolor, N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., N.W.A. (inland).
Stat. c. plains 12
Head, neck, chest, back green; rump little red; abdomen, thighs scarlet; forehead, shoulder, under base tail yellow; f., brick red patch on shoulder, duller. Grass-seeds.
206[*] Red-backed Parrot (Grass, Red-rumped, Ground), P. haematonotus, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A.
Large flocks, v.c. grass 11
Green; lower-back scarlet; tip-shoulder outer wing-quills blue; centre-shoulder, abdomen yellow; f., brownish-olive upper. Seeds.
7
7
207 Bourke Grass-Parrot (Night, Pink-bellied), Neophema bourkei, N.S.W., V., S.A. (interior).
v.r. plains 8.5
Upper olive-brown; under delicate brown tinged pink; forehead, shoulder, flanks, under tail blue; f., forehead not blue. Seeds.
208 Blue-winged Grass-Parrot (Blue-banded), N. venusta, N.S.W., V., S.A., T., King Is.
[~208 Neophema chrysostoma.]
Mig. r. open timber 9
Forehead, large patch shoulder deep-blue; crown, neck, back, breast green; face, abdomen light-yellow; tail tipped fine yellow; f., sim. Grass seeds.
209[*] Grass-Parrot (Elegant Grass), N. elegans, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A.
Mig. r. grass 9
Forehead, patch shoulder, first set off again, and so on. "With their wing-quills blue; about eye rich-yellow; back golden-green; chest green; abdomen, side of tail yellow; f., duller. Seeds. Musical whistle.
210 Orange-breasted Grass-Parrot (Orange-bellied), N. chrysogastra, N.S.W., V., S.A., T.
Mig. r. grass 9
Crown, upper grass-green; forehead blue; cheeks, breast yellowish-green; shoulder, patch on wing deep-blue; abdomen, under base tail yellow; lower abdomen much orange; f., less orange. Seeds. Sharp snapping note.
211 Red-Shouldered Grass-Parrot (Chestnut-shouldered, Beautiful), N. pulchella, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A.
Mig. c. timber 8
Cheeks, shoulders rich metallic-blue; crown, hind-neck, upper, flanks bright olive-green; bright patch chestnut-red at insertion of wing; under rich-yellow, tail green tipped yellow; f., sim. Seeds.
212 Scarlet-chested Grass-Parrot (Orange-throated, Splendid), N. splendida, N.S.W., V., S., W.A.
v.r. scrub 8
Head, neck beautiful deep-blue; shoulder blue; breast scarlet; abdomen light-yellow; upper green; f., duller, breast green. Seeds.
1
1
213[*] Swift Parrot (Red-shouldered), Swift-flying Lorikeet (e), Euphema discolor, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., T.
[~213 Lathamus discolor.]
Mig. r. flowering eucalypts 9.5
Green; forehead, throat, tip-shoulder, base tail above below, under-wing red; crown, edge wing blue; f., smaller, duller. Honey.
1
1
214[*] Warbling Grass-Parrot (Shell-, Canary-, Zebra-), Betcherrygah, Budgerigar, Love-Bird (Flight-), Melopsittacus undulatus, A. (int.).
Mig. flocks c. timber 7.5
Head, throat yellow; under, rump green; upper green finely barred black; several dark spots on throat; f., smaller. Grass-seeds.
1
2
215 Ground Parrot (Swamp), Pezoporus terrestris, V., S.A. W.A., T., Bass St. Is.
v.r. u. sandy, swampy 13
Green uniformly barred black yellow; forehead scarlet; tail long; never perches; f., sim. Seeds.
1
1
216 Night Parrot (Spinifex), Western Ground Parrakeet, Geopsittacus occidentalis, V., S.A., C.A., W.A., N.W.A.
v.r. u. swampy 10
Like 215, but forehead not red; under base short tail yellow.
F. 77. Stringopidae, Owl-Parrot, 2 sp. A. (N.Z.).
Australia is well represented in Order XVIII.—Picarian Birds. The Tawny Frogmouth is one of "the most peculiar," and is the "ugliest of birds." On account of its wide mouth, it is called the Frogmouth, and on account of the confusion connecting it with the Boobook Owl, which calls "Mopoke," this bird is also called the "Mopoke" (see p. 85). It so closely mimics a broken branch during the day that it is seldom seen, though it is fairly common.
Gould bears eloquent testimony to the value of Australian birds in general, and the Podargus in particular, when he says: "In no other country is there a greater proportion of insectivorous birds, and certainly none in which nocturnal species such as the Podargi are more numerous."
The Australian Roller (Dollar-Bird) has the family beauty, and has a white circular patch on each wing, which shows clearly when the wing is expanded during flight. At the Tallangatta excursion a pair was working even after dusk near the schoolground. Flying from the topmost dead branch, one bird suddenly closed its wings, and cut queer antics in the air. After flying a considerable distance, it returned to its former perch, and the mate set off. On the return of the mate the first set off again, and so on. With their disagreeable, rough "treek treek," and peculiar antics, they are conspicuous birds. It is our one representative of a family most strongly developed in Africa.
While Kingfishers are cosmopolitan (world-wide in distribution), yet the Australian region contains far more of these beautiful birds than any other region. They are famous in legend and story, and we owe to them the expression, "halcyon days" (Gr. alkuon, a Kingfisher).
The great terrestrial Kingfishers, of which Australia has three species—the fourth being confined to New Guinea—are amongst the avine curiosities of Australia. Few birds are more famous than the Laughing Kingfisher (Jackass), first, on account of his gigantic size—hence his specific name, gigas—and, secondly, because of his laugh, which brightens many a gloomy, misty day in lonely country districts. Homesick travellers from foreign lands could only hear evil spirits laughing at their trials and loneliness, but, just as mountains, once thought ugly, are now considered beautiful, so other thoughts are now associated with the laugh of our remarkable Australian Kingfisher.
True to the law of representatives, Australia presents us with a beautiful representative of the Old World family of Bee-eaters. A writer has well said that there are "few so beautiful, and none so graceful." Its scientific name, ornatus, shows that our bird stands well amongst its fellows. One kind occasionally visits England (about thirty records in the last hundred years).
In the same order come the Goatsuckers, or Nightjars, wide-mouthed, swift-flying, insectivorous birds, which have an almost cosmopolitan range, being absent only from New Zealand and the Polynesian Islands. These Owl-like birds have very long wings, thus indicating their rapid flight. They are very valuable insect destroyers, though they are sometimes called "Night Hawks," and are shot by people who foolishly shoot hawks. Many destructive insects fly only at night, and these night-flying birds are a necessity to maintain the balance of Nature.
Swifts are cosmopolitan birds. One Swiftlet is world-famous on account of its saliva-built nest, which is the edible swallows' nest we used to read about. This bird occasionally visits Queensland. Two of the Australian birds breed in Japan. They are essentially creatures of the air; their long, pointed wings, shown much longer than the tail, indicate great speed. Gould said that a Swift might be hawking for insects over Victoria one hour, and over Tasmania the next hour; that is, it can cross Bass Strait in an hour. The spines at the end of the short tail feathers are thought to assist as a prop when the bird settles on a wall or a cliff face. In some Swifts the four toes point forward; this helps also in cliff clinging. Though so common in the upper air, Swifts have not, in Victoria, been recorded as having been seen to alight.
Most birds have hollow bones which are filled with air. It was claimed by those who like to find a use for everything that this was an obvious adaptation for purposes of flight, but when one reflects that, in some of the Ostrich and Emu group, the members of which never fly, the bones are strongly "pneumatic," while in Terns and Swifts, and some other flying birds, the bones are solid, one must hesitate before generalizing even about such an apparently obvious matter. Swifts are in no way related to Swallows, but are close to Humming Birds, which are born with a wide, Swift-like mouth.
