Same Notes on Cnnison-iK.nng Parrakcets. 51 



and two young" hens. une of the latter died, and me survivor 

 was kept in a cage during the winter. In October, after some 

 hesitation. 1 decided to try the cock of the pair at Hberty, 

 intending to catch him up at once should he show any weakness 

 for chimneys. In the aviary he was nervous and unsteady, but 

 1 hoped that, like many birds which are wild in an aviary, he 

 would become tamer when he found he could always get awav. 

 In this he justified my expectations. L boosing a line afternoon 

 without much wind, 1 drove him gently out and retired to a 

 distance to watch iiis behaviour. lie flew into a small tree 



near the aviary, where he was soon joined by a cock iving, who 

 was interested in him, as a relative, but showed no desire to 

 molest him. After a few minutes he went into some taller 

 trees and evidently enjoying his liberty, flew from one to 

 another, followed by the King, maKing a half circuit of the 

 garden. After a time I felt a little uneasy, as his flights became 

 longer and tended to take him further from home. However, 

 just when I was beginning" to think that he meant straying, his 

 mate began to call loudly from the aviary in the meadow: he 

 answered, and a moment later came swinging" overhead, and 

 was soon back at tlie place where ne had started; 1 knew, then, 

 that all was well. 'J'he hen Crimson-wing's concern at the 

 departure of her mate was much greater than I expected, 

 considering" that the only attention he ever paid her was to 

 chase her about, scolding" her and trying to bite her. It did 

 nnt seem a ha])py married life, but hen Crimson-wings seem to 

 belong to that peculiar division of the female sex whicn prefers .l 

 husband who beats you to the monotony of tne unmarried state. 

 The cock Crimson-wing, also, for a while showed a certain 

 jealous concern for his wife, spending a lot of time on the top 

 of the aviary imnting off cock Barrabands and a cock Black-tail 

 who seemed disposed to take an interest in the grass widow. 

 The Black-tail, indeed, fell deeply in love witii her, and would 

 hardly leave her the w'hole of the winter, somewhat to my 

 annoyance, for instead of delighting me with frequent exhibi 

 tions of his glorious flight, as he had been in the habit of doing, 

 he sat stolidly by her all day and all night and gave me much 

 trouble and anxiety in devising means of protecting him from 

 the inclemency of the weather and the attacks of nocturnal 

 vermin. 



