53 



The following account of the nesting habits of 

 the true Lovebirds is very interesting. 



'• Parrots, with very few exceptions, select a hole in some 

 -' tree-trnnk or limb^ which has been formed l)y the decay 

 " of the inner part of the wood, in which to rear their 

 " brood, the great majority makin<( no nest whatever, bnt 

 •• merely layiii.i^- their eggs' on the bare decaying wood. 

 "The t'rne Lovebirds, however, are not content with so 

 " rude a bed for their offsprin<,^ but carefully construct a 

 " soft, warm nest, with fine strips of the pliant green bark of 

 " trees, which is peeled off by the female by a succession 

 " of nips as she passes her beak along sideways. Havin<^- 

 " secured a strip of about three inches in length, she gives 

 " it a nip in the centre to bend it into a V-.shape, and 

 " turning her head and l)ending her back, she tucks it 

 "away under her somewhat lengthy upper tail -coverts. 

 " This process, of which the present writer has frequently 

 '* been an e^-e-witness in the case of A^aponiis roseicollis 

 " in captivitv, is continued until a considerable quantity 

 " of material has been collected, when the bird flies off. 

 '• looking like an animated ball of hay, to her nesting hole, 

 -'■ into which she climbs by the aid of her bill and feet. 

 •' The site selected for the nest is generally the hollow of a 

 " tree, as in the case of other Parrots, but according to 

 " Anderson, one species sometimes takes possession of the 

 " large nests formed by the vSocial Weaver-birds, in which 

 " it doubtless forms its own nest. 



" The reason for the adoption of the remarkable method 

 " above described of conveying the material to the desired 

 '•' spot is not far to seek. Parrots of all kinds use the bill 

 " nearly as much as the feet in climbing, and if this is 

 " occupied in carrying a quantity of material, the bird 

 " would have j<reat difificnlty in climbing into the nest, 

 '' which is oeiierally situated'where it would be impossible 

 '' to reach it without the use of the bill as well as the feet. 



" In captivit}' a box, say six or eight inches square, with 

 " an entrance-hole from one-and-a-half to two inches in 

 " diameter, answers well as a receptacle of the nest. It 

 " should be hung in some partially hidden corner of the 

 " aviary, at a consideral)le hei<<ht from the ground. 

 " Green branches of willow or poplar should be supplied, 

 " the bark of which will be stripped off to form the nest r 

 " otherwise the woodwork of the aviary itself will be 

 " attacked." 



All our members who are interested in the Parrot 

 tribe should subscribe for " Parrakeets." It is pub- 

 lished by R. H. Porter, 7, Princes Street, Cavendi.sh 

 Square, W. 



