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PLATE XLIII.
EUPHEMA PULCHELLA. (Gould).
CHESNTJT-SHO UEDERED GRASS PA BRA KEET. Genus: Euphema.
AFTER the Elegant Parrakeet this is the most widely-distributed species of all the genus, and extends its habitats
from the Wide Bay District to South Australia. Of a migratory disposition, the Turquoisine penetrates into
the plains of the Interior, though its preference is for the Coast District. It is commonly to be met with
in New South Wales, but in Victoria it is very scarce, a few going in the spring to South Gippsland and the
places adjacent, and are there never seen in greater numbers than three or four together — more generally in pairs.
Unlike the Elegant Parrakeet, this species does not consort together in large flocks, but, at most, in companies of
six or eight individuals, which are probably a family party, consisting of the old pair and their offspring of the
year, for in her natural state the female Turquosine has two broods in the season of from three to five each, but in
captivity and domesticated she is almost as indefatigable in rearing broods as the Cockatiel, producing from three
to five in the year of from four to eight eggs each time. Parents and offspring remain together harmoniously
associated until the following Spring, when instinct impels the young ones to set up housekeeping on their own
account.
The Turquoisine has a most amiable, docile disposition on the whole, though there are occasional instances
of contankerous exceptions. They are apt to be listless and uninteresting except in the breeding season,
but directly spring comes to " turn their thoughts to love," they become very bright and amusing. The male is
at this period a most amarous lover and devoted husband ; his attentions are touching in the extreme ; he is never
tired of piping a sweet love-song to his mate to while away the tedium of sitting.
As a whole they are very hardy, and have a wonderful power of adapting themselves to changing phases
of climate, adverse conditions, or circumstances. Their food consists solely of the seeds of grasses and the smaller
annuals ; they have a greater partiality for stony ridges than for rich alluvial flats. When suddenly alarmed,
they fly a short distance among the trees and perch upon some dead limb, remaining there till driven to the ground
again by hunger.
When the breeding season comes round, and it is necessary to find a spot to deposit the eggs, these birds
seek out a hollow in a tree, and the eggs are laid without any attempt at nest-building. Incubation lasts about
eighteen days, but it is difficult to ascertain the exact time, as the female is apt to resent any interference, and if
much molested will leave the nest. Egg, white ; length, eleven lines ; breadth, nine lines.
The male Turquoisine is a most beautiful bird, in fact one of the loveliest of our Parrakeets. The
shades of blue on the head and wings are exquisite in a f ull-plumaged bird ; the eye is large and dark ; the
forehead, lazuline blue ; the cheeks and lores, azure ; back of head, back, upper tail coverts, and two centre tail
feathers, olive green ; head, shoulders, and part of wing, a most beautiful turquoisine blue ; a bright spot of
chesnut red at the insertion of the wings ; primaries and secondaries, deep blue on their outer webs, and blackish
brown on the inner ; under surfaces and under tail coverts, bright yellow ; two outer tail feathers, yellow ; two
next, green at base, and yellow at tips ; bill and feet, dark brown.
Size; Eight inches, or the same as Euphema petrophila.
The female resembles her mate in general appearance, except that she is much less brilliant, and lacks
the red shoulder mark ; while the blue head and ultramarine wings are exchanged for a bright blue colour ; the
breast is generally green, or yellowish green, in faded tints. The male specimen in the Sydney Museum, from
which this plate is coloured, has, however, all the under-surfaces yellow blotched with red, but I am inclined to
think this is an accidental variety, as the descriptions given by Gould, Greene, and Forbes Leith, gathered