The ROSELLA (_Platycercus eximius_) is a truly splendid bird, thirteen
inches in length. The fore part of the head, back of the neck, breast,
and under tail-covers, are scarlet; the cheeks white; the feathers on
the back black, bordered with yellow; the rump, upper tail-covers, and
belly, with the exception of a yellow spot in the middle, are of a bright
pale green; the middle of the wings bright blue; the quills dark brown,
the outer border blue; the two middle tail-feathers green, changing to
blueish-green; all the rest blue at the root, shading into light blue,
and tipped with white; the beak is horn-coloured; the foot brown; the
pupils blackish brown. The young, when they leave the nest, have a coat
very similar to the old birds, without its full brilliancy; they are also
recognisable by their yellow beaks. These beautiful parrots are natives
of New South Wales and Tasmania, where they are very common, but only
in especial districts, often bounded by a brook, over which they will
not pass. They do not congregate in large flocks, but in small groups or
families. Open countries are their favourite resorts, or grassy hills
and plains planted with high trees or groups of bushes. From these
trees, which become the central point of their movements, they fly over
the little sandy plains or open country into the woods to seek their
food. They are as often to be found upon the roads as our sparrows, and,
like them, if startled, only fly to the nearest tree or hedge by the
wayside, soon returning again to the ground. Travellers are unanimous in
saying that the impression made on Europeans by the profusion of these
magnificent birds surpasses description. The Rosella flies in curves,
with rapid strokes of its wing, but seldom to any great distance, as it
is soon fatigued; it moves with ease upon the ground, and is quite equal
to our Finches in agility. The voice of this species, like that of most
of its congeners, is a pleasant pipe, which might almost be called a
song. Its food consists of seeds of different kinds, principally those
of grasses; but it will also at times eat insects; the breeding-time is
in the months of October and January, which answers to our spring. The
female lays from seven to ten beautiful elongated white eggs in a hole in
the branch of an Eucalyptus, or some similar tree.