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a he Breeding of Hleranorine parrnfteets. 



By \V. B. Ma k mont. 



A few notes, re my success in breeding this species, may 

 probably be of interest to many Bitd Noles readers. I do not 

 purpose attempting to describe all the species and local races 

 commonly designated Alexandrines, as I have not sufficient 

 knowledge of them, but merely to treat of the one species that 

 has bred in my outdoor aviary the past two years, viz., the 

 Cingalese. A true pair came into my possession in the spring 

 of 1905 ; I kept them in a large cage indoors for a few months, in 

 order to steady them, get them accustomed to their surroundings 

 and "At Home" with their owner. I transferred them to my 

 garden aviary in the autumn and waited with much expectation 

 for indications of a desire to reproduce their kind. I had not 

 long to wait beforesuch signs were foithcoming, they soon began 

 whittling away at one of the logs provided for this purpose (said 

 log being 3ft. long and of 5ft. girth), these preparations occupy- 

 ing about three weeks. During the first week of December four 

 eggs were laid on alternate days, white in colour, their shape 

 differing materially from the usual type, viz. oval, being quite 

 round, in fact perfect balls and about the same size as those of an 

 ordinary pigeon. 



Incubation lasted three weeks which both shared, taking 

 turn and turn about, they did not appear to resent me watching 

 progress, nevertheless the eggs were guarded with a jealous care, 

 but out of respect for their formidable beaks I did not take any 

 liberties with them. The young are queer looking objects, their 

 necks being abnormally long for the size of their bodies and are 

 exactly like miniature geese ready for the "spit." They grow 

 very fast as to bulk, but only feather slowly ; they remain perfectly 

 naked for three weeks ; signs of plumage first appearing on the 

 shoulders, next the tail, then the back and neck, breast and ab- 

 domen, and crown of the head, in the order given. They do 

 not leave the nest under three months, and are quite dependent 

 on their parents for fully another three months. The parent birds 

 are most assiduous in the care of their offspring. This species has 

 proved to be thoroughly hardy and appears quite indifferent to 

 the roughest or coldest weather; the young are reared in mid- 



