Carol Probets wrote:
> Hi Anthea & all,
> The ?Blue Mountains Parrot? is a rather puzzling early name for the
> Rainbow Lorikeet, as this species is quite uncommon in the Blue Mountains,
... George Caley noted in 1804 that Blue Mountains Parrots, despite
>their name, were rarely encountered in the mountains. I wonder how the
>name arose ?
Re 'BlueMountain Parrot'- I think the bird acquired the name before
anyone ever crossed the Blue Mountains; perhaps the settlers met it when
they went out towards the Mountains. But it's the name given in many
early accounts and prints of the bird. The other early name is 'Blue
bellied parrot' and there may have been some confusion.
I've always been told that 'Rosella' originally applied to the Eastern
Rosella only, being short for 'Rosehill Parrakeet', via 'Rosehiller'.
Thanks for the reminder of the fine old name 'Mountain Lowry' or
'Lory' for the Crimson Rosella. It's a long time since I heard that one,
though my father (aged 88) still uses it.
For the Beginners' Misidentification File- in my childhood we KNEW
that the green parrots we saw with the Crimson Rosellas were definitely
'Twenty-eights'! due to association with a not (then) very bird-minded
Western Australian. Such a surprise when we realised they were the
young Crimsons (c 1950 when I was 9!).
Anthea Fleming in Melbourne
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