6i 



the pair I first had and how on the loss of the hen bird, from a 

 growth, the cock bird was almost wild with grief and for a long 

 time refused to be comforted or take food. I also said that I had 

 at last succeeded in getting another hen ; this was quite a young 

 one and the first winter after buying her she laid two eggs, but 

 did not seem to understand that they required incubation. 



On January 13th, 1907, she laid another egg, and a few 

 days afterwards a second ; this time she took it in turns with the 

 cock bird to sit as a rule, but sometimes both would sit at the 

 same time, one on each egg. The}' made no nest and the eggs 

 were laid on the floor of their cage which is about 5ft. long, 3ft. 

 wide, and 5ft. high. At first we put the eggs into a box with a 

 little sawdust at the bottom, but the birds would not have this 

 and turned them out again. 



In due time one young bird was hatched ; we left the 

 second egg for a week or more, not caring to disturb them as 

 they were very shy and could not bear any one to look at their 

 wonderful baby, which was an ugly little grey object. The 

 second egg we afterwards found had been just ready to hatch, but 

 we supposed the parents deserted it in their pride and excite- 

 ment over their first born. 



As time went on the youngster throve and very quickly 

 seemed to get quite grown up, but, poor thing, the toes were 

 bitten off either by mice or the parents (we never discovered 

 which), so that she could never perch properly. We covered the 

 perch with wire netting and she is very clever at holding on and 

 getting about. As she became older her parents became tired of 

 her so we moved them to another cage and gave her as a com- 

 panion a young cock bird that I had bought with the hen and 

 who had deserted him for the other bird. These two have lived 

 most happily together ever since, and are most tame and 

 affectionate, being devoted to me and the moment they hear my 

 voice they begin to scream and rush up and down their cage. I 

 always have to go and talk to them befoi'e they will quiet down. 

 I am hoping that in time these two will also breed. 



On November 29th last I was greeted with the news that 

 the Lories had laid an egg. This, of course, referred to the old 

 pair. On December 2nd there was a second egg : and the first 



