24:2 The Aviaries and Birds at Hoddam Castle. 



a step in advance, being- the first time nests liave been con- 

 structed or eggs laid in this country. 



LORIIDiE. 



Black Loky {Chalcopsitiacus aier) : This fine species 

 when seen in the aviary is not by any means so sombre as its 

 name would indicate, in fact it has a real quiet and uncommon 

 beauty of its own, especially when the sun's rays ilhiminate 

 the apparently funereal lines of its plumage with bronzy re- 

 flection. In fact the only really black areas of their plumage 

 are the tail and flights, the eyes, beak and feet are also black; 

 the general colouration is a very deep claret colour; rump 

 and lower back blue (obscured by the wings when at rest); 

 the underside of tail feathers is a combination of orange and 

 red. Sombre! Their beauty struck me greatly as I watched 

 them disporting- in the aviary. Mr. Brook has two pairs 

 and one young as yet unsexed. To Mr. Brook belongs the 

 honour of being the first to breed this species in captivity. 

 In 190y he reared one young bird and again in 1910 young 

 were reared; this year none have been reared, they have nested 

 and laid, Init the eggs were deserted, evidently the extreme 

 dry heat of this season has not suited them. For nesting 

 details see B.N., Vol. viii., p. 268, and Vol. i., N.S., p 28. 

 This was the first species of true Lory to be bred in captivity. 



Stella's Loky {Charmosyna slelloe) : This truly gor- 

 geous species was figured in colour by Mr. Goodchild in B.N., 

 Vol. i ., N.S., p. 65. To this and the accompanying article 

 I must refer readers and also for nesting notes to same Vol. 

 at pages 177, 199, 237, and 303. But the fullest description 

 can but faintly indicate their glowing beauty — this can only be 

 fully seen as the birds disport themselves in a roomy aviary, 

 and I watched them, entranced. Several young birds were 

 fully reared last season (first time in captivity) but this sea- 

 son, though they have nested, laid eggs and hatched them out, 

 the young have died in the nest — evidently extreme dry heat 

 does not suit the LOKIIDiE. For the benefit of new readers 

 I had better briefly say that Mr. Brook feeds his Lories 

 on milk sop (containing barley water), fruit syrups and un- 

 limited ripe fruit. Full notes and treatment from Mr. Brook's 

 pen are given in Vol viii., p.p. 166 to 169. i 



Ked-collaked Lorikeet {Tricho gloss us ruhrilorques): 



