Budi^crigars " French Moult." 35 



end of tlie open tlioht : tlitii to i>u' c-arlli hack in tliis part, and sand in tin- 

 others. In the open flight, wiiich will be the Intdgerigars' garden, one 

 will plant some Thuijas, but as they arc very fond of these shrnbs. "t 

 will be necessary to replace them every year." 



" 7"herc now remains but to fix the perches and the logs. 'I lin'=e 

 'which are to be found at the dealers' shops arc often unsuitable. hi 



■ order to be acceptable to t'lK- budgerigar tlie log must inspire confiden<:e, 

 ' and it is bv its shape, size, and the way in which the entrance hole is 

 ' placed that it will give the l)ird the sense of security. The logs mist 

 'have the following inside dimensions: depth i lins., dia. 4ins. The 



■ entrance hole of i^in. dia. will be made 2ins. froiu the top and 8ins. from 

 ' the bottom. The top part will be closed by a lid attached to the log 

 ' In- a nail, in such a way that it can be turned. This lid must not close 

 ' hermetically, m order to allow the moisture tc escape, which comes from 

 ' the perspiring voung Experience has shown me that l..c 



■ pairs hardly ever change their nests and that two logs to a pair is a useless 

 ' expense .... the hens lay again before the departure of the young, 

 ' which caused the latter to begin the incubation of the eggs before the 

 ' clutch was complete. This explains why there are in the nests scarcely 

 ' fledged birds, when sometimes the older ones commence to leave, which 

 ' only takes place when they are as big as their parents. The log.s. are 

 ' placed under the complete shelter, and some under the half-shelter at a 

 ' convenient height to be taken down for examination and cleaning after 

 ' c:ich sitting, which is indispensable. The examination of the nests has 

 ' no disadvantage : the budgerigar never abandons its family, and this 



■ ])crmits an eye to be kept on the broods, to take away and replace the 

 ' hens which die on their eggs. This last is verv imi)ortant, as it is nee- 

 " essary to wat'. h very cart full}- that tliere are as many hens as cocks, in 

 ' order that harmony may reign between all the broods. The aviarv 

 ' finished, furnished, and the cold weather passed, it onlv remains to lel 

 ' the budgerigars in. an<l to consider their diet with a view to a good 

 ' re])roduction." 



The budgerigar is fed on millet, canarv grass, and pimpernal, but 



on the usual fare, ca]/tivity helping, there ar-- some anaemic specimens 



and generations of degenerates. First of all. large wing and tail 



' feathers are missing with the young, or ;ire cut off bv their parents. 



'' probablv in order to suck the blood; then l)it bv bit complete baldness 



sets in. Tn this case, nothing remains but to kill them, which is no 



easy thing. T have noticed that the more degeneracv was accentuated, 



" the more numerous were tlie young. Tt must be believed that in this 



" species the prolific faculties are in inverse ratio to the phvsical quality 



" of the subjects." 



To obtain good results it is necessary, therefore, not to be content 

 " with giving them millet and pinipernel. as. .f the budgerigar is content 

 ■' in capitivitv with seed, it is not the case in freedom. The larger species 

 " of parrakeets are omnivorous, and in their own country cause considcr.-ihl*^ 

 " damage. Tn nesting time certain large parrakeets (Nestors) do not 

 " hesitate, in fact, to alight on flocks of sheep, and clinging firmly to the 



