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was hatched on Christinas Day ; second on the 28th December.* 

 Both these birds are now in beautiful plumage and their beaks 

 are already turning orange. They also are very tame and are 

 much finer birds than the first youngster and are quite sound and 

 perfect. These two we moved to a separate cage as soon as they 

 could feed themselves and the parents are now sitting on two more 

 eggs. I suppose the return of winter made them think it time 

 to attend to their domestic affairs again, for they have never 

 nested a second time so quickly before. 



It may interest our members to hear how we feed them. 

 They love nothing better than bread and milk and this forms 

 their chief diet. They only like it made with cold unboiled f 

 milk on bread that has not been first soaked in water. We give 

 them a little seed but they do not care for this much ; chickweed 

 and watercress are their favourite green food. They are also very 

 fond of small pieces of cake or bread and jam, also ripe fruit. 

 My birds are very healthy and robust, in fact have never ailed 

 since they recovered from fits, which they had soon after I bought 

 them, except the younger cock which had several fits one day 

 last summer from which we did not think he could recover. The 

 birds bred here have, so far, never failed in any way, so I hope 

 they will live for many years. 



If these two last eggs hatch out I shall be obliged to part 

 with a pair as I cannot keep so many. 



I am delighted at receiving a certificate from the Foreign 

 Bird Club for having been the first to breed these birds in 

 England for thirty years. I hope my success will encourage 

 others to keep these lovely birds, for I am certain they will find 

 them both interesting and amusing. I watch them for ages 

 laughing at the young birds playing with each other, frolicking 

 about much as kittens do. No one could find them either dull 

 or stupid who noticed their quaint ways and provided them with 

 reasonably roomy quarters. 



* This makes the period of incubation about 24 days in each case.— Ed. 



t It is not wise to pander to their tastes so, as unboiled milk is most dangerous 

 in hot weather, unless it can be renewed several times daily. — Ed. 



