Could . @ A) 9 “A LL I OC CIDEN’ Walter [rrp . J. Could & HC kachter, del ev lith GEOPSITTACUS OCCIDENTALIS Ti 2H « Nocturnal Ground-Parr Gould. akeet. Geopsittacus occidentalis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc. 186 1, p. 100.—Id., Handb. Birds of eee oe $e I rrust that Ornithologists will not for a moment consider the present species identical with the Pezoporus formosus in any state of plumage, as a first glance at its colour and nie 5 ; s might lead them to suppose ; rT re it is not only specifically, but generically dist; 2 arn! i i i fail sure i y; g aby distinct ; and I believe that the differences in its a corresponding difference in its habits, actions, and economy, whenever they become known. Both sexes of Pezoporus have a re short bill, rounded wings, a lengthened tail, long, structure, pointed out below, will be found to be accompanied by d frontal band, a moderately thin tarsi, and long curved nails 3 while Geopsittacus is a stout, short-tailed, dumpy bird, with a bluff head, a full , round, jet-black eye, no frontal band, a very stout bill, large wings, fleshy lees, and extremely small nails—a structure which that it affects holes in rocks or the hollow boles and branches of | differences already mentioned, I observe that its nostrils are | leads me to the conclusion arge prostrate trees. Besides the arger and more fleshy, reminding us in this respect of Str7gops, to which it also assimilates in colour and markings. The precise locality inhabited by this remarkable Parrakeet is unknown to me. The specimen from which my original description w I received direct from Perth, in Western Australia; and all the infor as taken mation that accompanied it was that it came from the interior. Every part of the plumage (on the body, wings, and tail) indicates that it was fully adult ; and I trust that the time is not far distant when other examples will be collected and sent to Kurope, with an account of the habits and economy of the bird. Thus much had been written and sent to press respecting this new species, when I was informed that a living example of a strange and remarkable Parrakeet had been transmitted by Dr. Ferdinand Mueller, Director of the Botanic Garden at Melbourne, to Mr. P. L. Sclater, the Secretary of the Zoological Society of London. On visiting the Society’s gardens for the purpose of inspecting it, I found, to my great delight, that it was av example of the bird under consideration, in good health, and in the finest state of plumage. This unexpected event enables me to give a more perfect representation of the bird than I could have given from a dried skin. However much I was pleased with the sight of the living bird, I was still more so when I found my views as to some of its habits confirmed by Dr. Mueller’s letter to Mr. Sclater, in which he states that the Weal is a nocturnal one, living during the day in the rocky caves of the ranges, and coming out at night for food, like the Owls and crepuscular Nightjars. Dr. Mueller adds ae ine living individual sent by him was caught in the Gawler Ranges, situated in that part of South Se which lies westward of the head of Spencer’s Gulf, the fauna of which, we have abundant evidence to Sooe is very eel ie caine es ee of Western Australia; I have therefore very little doubt that the bird inhabits all ibe ialerreniaig districts. In its actions and disposition in a cage, the Geopszttacus qusties its oor SE for it a a been seen to perch, but moves over the floor of its domicile in ao of a muck like those of a Sparrow ; at times, however, it dashes about from corner to corner with a more ae ae EERE informs me that, like all other nocturnes, it becomes much more wakeful and active at night, mi a S tuft of grass, water-cress, millet, and canary-seed like a Rabbit. As yet it has not been heard to utter any sound, except a faint whistle. In closing this necessarily brief account of this Strigops-looking 1% Dr. Mueller, for his kindness in obligations to the Zoological Society’s valued Corresponding Member, Dr. Mueller, transmitting this singular bird to England. arrakeet, I must not omit recording our | s of k rreenish yellow ; i iT h feather crossed by irregular bands of black and greenish yellow ; All the upper surface grass-green, each fe _ 5 nd breast yellowish green . eak of black down the centre; throat and breast y sh g : Cc feathers of the crown and nape with a str ole 1 rimaries < secondaries brown us wings brown 3 pt imaries and seco C A passing into sulphur-yellow on the abdomen; spurio bs. with the exception of the first three; those s 1 nn aS, WIth 1 é j 7] ry" e on their external webs, narrowly fringed with a greenish hue o1 rs have also ar i mark of yellow near their a | feathers have also an oblique x Ol Yy two central tail-feathers dark brown, toothed on the edge of both wo central tail-reat toothed on the outer web only with brighter bands of yellow, which, in some cases, erts sulphur-yellow, crossed on their colour as the feathers approach the body ; , 5 : ach side dark brown webs with greenish yellow; the next on each side dark , Ty s Ceres aca rOosse and longer marks of yellow; the remainder dark brown, cro ue . ‘ alternate ; under tail-cov are continuous across both webs, and in others : . bill horn-colour. bands of blackish brown; 1 outer webs with narrow, oblique and irregular i : : ino 52, tail 5, tarsi 2. Potal length 10 inches, bill 4, wing 53, tail 5, te J oe marie pe pores ants ne Orlgilal s The above is the description and admeasurements 0 tl § “ ; nostrils are large and bluish grey, te ¢) bird enables me to add that the nostrils are larg the feet flesh-coloured. cimen; an inspection of the living s round, full, and jet-black, and The figures are of the natural size. bases, which increases in breadth and in depth of ¢ ’ FiO BC LW GARG. GY.