Sliy 111 III- Budr/pri(/a.)'i^. 3 



Thoi'O is no qu(\sti(>ii l)ut that W(^ nrc on the ovo of 

 most interesting' experiments, Avith this ever ])opular, always 

 pleasing and delightfully charming little bird— one of the small- 

 est of the Parrot family. 



It is most satisfactory to be able to say, this newly 

 acquired rarity is no freak, it is assured and established, its 

 colour is absolutely fixed, and they breed true to colour and 

 type. They are not lacking any way, but fine, robust speci- 

 mens, whilst the type is even an improvement upon the 

 original imported strain. 



Whilst to some extent they have been inbred, no signs 

 of such are in evidence, because each generation has more 

 and more fixed the pigmentary tissues in the production of 

 this strain, by freely crossing with the Green and Yellow 

 varieties. In each instance where this cross has been made 

 the young have been true to the colour of the respective varieties, 

 by which I mean where the blue and green have mated the 

 young truly represented either the Blue or Green type — no 

 sports or freaks, no mismarked or unsightly young. Personally, 

 I am hoping, sincerely hoping, for a few of the former, so 

 that I may by careful study and hy systematic mating, create 

 something equally startling as the Blues. 



Before me as I write I have a cage containing four 

 specimens of the Green variety, two imported specimens, the other 

 two having been bred from Blue and Green parents. As I sit 

 and watch them they appear of similar hues, ])ut closer (com- 

 parison in the hand reveals quite clearly a deeper and richer 

 yellow in favour of the cross-l3reds, somewhat closely resemli- 

 ling a clear goli. This is rather pronouncei in all th;' yellow 

 mafkings — whilst the green plumage is equally intense, it also 

 favours a ri('her and purer emerald tint. The questioiis we 

 may now ask ourselves are — why is the cross-bred specimen 

 su])erior in its colouring? Fi'om what source does it emanate, 

 considering the parents are sky l)lu(i and green? These are 

 questions I cannot answer now, for I cannot bring myself 

 to believe the colour of pigments eliminated from the original 

 stock can have any latent power. 



At present I believe the whole of the Blues living 

 to-day are in three hands only — the lady already spoken of, 

 Mons, Pauvvels, and the London Zoological Society, a pair having 



