13 



lost their outer husk, does not matter at all, although 

 the birds seldom eat them. It is very difficult to get 

 good seed without some of these brown seeds. I am not 

 an advocate for very large canary-seed, in fact small 

 plump seed is by far the best. 



I have never found canar3--seed or millet the worse 

 for being two 3'ears old, if it has been well harvested and 

 well kept. 



I think the quality of birdseed can be better told by 

 the smell than in an}- other way. If it smells at all 

 musty or sulphurous, do not use it. Seed is best kept 

 in canvas bags, and should never be left in covered tins 

 for any length of time. Wai^TER Swaysi^and. 



TIG TIMOTHY. 



One of the most amusing birds in nn' collection is 

 an Orange-flanked Parrakeet, which we have christened 

 Tig Timothy. I l)ought him two years ago ; until then I 

 had always steered clear of parrots and their kind, but 

 one day I was paying a visit to Mr. Jamrach's shop, and 

 was tempted by the tameness of the Orange-flank : at 

 that time you could do what you liked with him, but I 

 am afraid he has been spoilt, as now he seems to do w4iat 

 he likes with me. He is quite fearless, and is never so 

 liapp}' as when walking about you, w^liich 3'ou cannot put 

 up with for very long, as he cannot resist sampling your 

 ears or fingers, not maliciously, only out of curiosity. 



When he is put back in his cage, he sits holding his 

 head with his beak upward, gently fumbling at it with 

 his claw, thinking hard but saying nothing, in which 

 position he will remain for quite a long time. When I 

 first had him he had both his wings cut (I believe the 

 natives cut them to make their tameness more pro- 

 nounced) — they have since grown, though it took him a 

 long time, even with a little assistance from me, to 

 moult the stumps. Stanley IVI. Towxsend. 



