276 



The formerly considered specific bacillus of swine-fever 

 has now been proved to be only a saprophytic organism always 

 in the body of the pig, which asserts itself when the system has 

 been prepared by the ultravisible virus, which, when the animal 

 has recovered, gives absolute i mm unity on exposure to pigs 

 suffering from the naturally contracted disease. 



(To be continued). 



IbaiiQinQ parrafceets. 



By Captain G. A. Pkrreau, F.Z.S. 



{Continued from page 257). 



In October 1906 the hen showed great anxiety to nest, but 

 neither of the cocks was at all willing ; the two elder ones did 

 not survive till the following October, but the younger one, in 

 spite of his want of full dress, succumbed to the attractions and 

 attentions of the old lady. Unfortunately he took so long to 

 make up his mind that I had not the pleasure of even seeing eggs 

 before 1113'' departure for England broke up their housekeeping. 

 The old lady, too, could not make up her mind as to the best 

 nesting site, she seemed to covet logs in the next aviary. Her 

 special desire was for one occupied by Madagascar Lovebirds. 

 She had similar (not to mention better) ones in her own enclosure, 

 but the other was occupied and she and a hen Blue-wing spent 

 much time shrieking at the Madagascars. 



The display was more quaint and interesting than beauti- 

 ful, bar the preliminary showing off flights, which were all the 

 more appreciated as they seldom fly much. He would stand un- 

 naturally erect, head and eyes straight to the front, head slightly 

 drawn back, throat puffed out in the most extraordinary way, 

 beak depressed almost out of sight in the throat bladder, so as to 

 show off the top of the head, beak often dripping in an even more 

 disgusting way than usual with parrots, soiling his bib, but the 

 hen soon saw to that. All the time he sang, a horrid noise to 

 human ears, but fortunately low. Even the hen could not stand 

 it for long, but then she was anxious to be fed. 



She was very keen on house hunting and explored more 



