32 Bud i^crigars " I'rcnch Moult.'' 



were hatched in two l)i-ood.s. but none were fully reared, and 1 

 rather think that a change of blood is necessary. No luck 

 was met with amont^st the Pheasants, which are kept in the 

 aviaries with the small birds, the only youni^ reared being' two 

 Satyras, one Cabots. and one Crossoptilon. 'J'he Waterfowl 

 were very little better, six Upland ("reese and 16 Chili Wigeon 

 being the only ones reard, so we have not greatly increased 

 the inhabitants of the Boyers House aviaries in 1921. 



— — ^^ 



Budgerigars, " French Moult," and Continental 

 Methods of Breeding. 



By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



This article (largely a compilation) is inspired mainly by -> 

 letter received from Mr. J. W. Marsden, and a translation (parts 

 of which I am quoting herein) from L'Oiscait. I will first 

 quote extracts from Mr. Marsden's letter: 



" You know that for a long time now I have been sure that 

 " inbreeding is not the cause of ' French Mouk " — a French avicuUurisl, 

 " F. Merel, thinks it is the lack of animal food, and I am also of this 

 " opinion." 



" 1 am building three new aviaries for budgerigars, so hope to 

 " get some good colours next year. I find an aviar)-- six or eight feet 

 " square amply large enough for three or four pairs; with me they do 

 " better than in larger ones and pedigrees are much more easily kept. 

 " I have Green blue-bred birds now, which, I am as certain as one can be 

 " of anything on earth, will breed Blues. I find, as a rule, that Blues 

 " bred from a pair of blue-bred Greens are a better colour than those bred 

 " direct from Blues." 



Last year I put a cross of Olive in my Apple-Greens, and this 

 " year the young are a better colour. I have bred a few pairs of Olives 

 " this year (1921) for the first time." 



T have inbred budgerigars as much as most people, and I have 

 yet to find any ill effects from inbreeding, so far as T can trace. Two 

 years ago I procured two young Blue hens from France, and the young 

 from tiiesc T was careful to pair to my own pure strain, and have never 

 had any badly feathered young; but last year I had two or three, and 

 two of these were from a French hen mated to one of my own strain, 

 " and these were in the second nc.st ; the first and third nests produced all 

 " slroii'^- and well-feathered birds." 1.W.M. 



1 have not done much Budgerigar breeding of late years 



