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adult birds. At the same time their phimage does not 

 attain its full refulgence, or the colour areas their full 

 size, till after the second moult. 



The colour changes in the young are direct both 

 in the Black and Yellow-headed varieties, and not 

 gradually through black to red, but direct to the 

 plumage of the respective varieties. 



The different varieties readily interbreed, and their 

 progeny appears to come true, i.e. either Red-heads 

 or Black-heads ; and both varieties frequentl}^ occur 

 in the same brood. It must be noted that Black-heads 

 mostly produce their own kind, and the Red-heads the 

 same; but at the same time this is not absolute, for 

 we have a fully authenticated record that Dr. Ramsay 

 bred all three varieties (Blacks, Reds and Yellows) 

 from a pair of Black-heads in his Australian aviary. 

 This experience is not an isolated one, but the Yellow- 

 headed variety is extremely uncommon. There is 

 nothing remarkable in imported birds of the same 

 colour producing mixed broods, for a Black-headed 

 female in captivity will invariably choose a Red-headed, 

 mate, even though there be several vigorous well 

 coloured specimens of her own kind present ; from 

 the freedom with which this choice is made, I am of 

 opinion that the two colours freely interbreed in a wild 

 state. The aforesaid Dr. Ramsay's collector shot from 

 the same nest a Red-headed <? and Black-headed ? . 



The Yellow-headed variety I have never possessed, 

 and have only seen one ; neither has my friend, Mr. 

 J. B. Housden (who has privately imported hundreds 

 of these birds) ever had one pass through his hands. 

 On the other hand the Rev. H. D. Astley has possessed 

 one and I believe still possesses it, whose head was of a 



