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I have repeated!}' had the bodies of such birds sent 

 me for dissection, and would, therefore, recommend 

 amateurs to take aim graiio sails the advice which is 

 invariably given b}^ the dealer when selling these 

 birds, to " feed them on nothing but canar}'' seed." I 

 believe that all Lories and Lorikeets want a certain 

 amount of soft food, and most of them require to live 

 mainly on it, if they are to endure in confinement for 

 any length of time. 



The diet which appears to suit the Lories best 

 consists of stale bread soaked in boiled milk, bananas, 

 pears, grapes, and other ripe fruit, sponge cake, and 

 maize boiled soft, or, if it can be procured, unripe 

 milky maize. Canon Button recommends "dried figs 

 soaked m hot water until the}'' can be mashed into a 

 pulp, mixed with soaked bun, and the whole made 

 rather moist." The Lories at the Zoological Gardens 

 have rice boiled in milk. Those which will eat 

 canary seed should be fed partly upon it. 



The cage in which a Lory is kept requires 

 constant attention, especially if the bird be fed on 

 soft food. A thorough daily cleaning is necessary, 

 and a layer of garden mould or pine sawdust must be 

 spread on the tray and renewed every day. 



The Lories are more susceptible to cold than 

 most of the other Parrots. A temperature falling not 

 below fifty degrees is essential to maintain them in 

 health. These birds, as a rule, are expensive, and, as 

 may be judged from the preceding remarks, are by no 

 means suitable for the novice. They are rather birds 

 for the experienced aviarist. 



With regard to the temper and disposition of the 

 Lories, some authors describe them as the tamest and 

 most affectionate of birds in confinement, and as 

 exceptionally good talkers. Without in any way 

 denying that this may be true of particular individuals, 



