'Freely Imjiorted Hpccieis and Their Treatment. 3-49 



is unfolded to the observunt eye. The varying de- 

 meanour, the love.s, quarrels, disasters, and joyous deport- 

 ment of these feathered creatures of the air — each -season 

 history repeats itself, modified by the conditions of the 

 particular season — forming a source of interest and pleasure 

 which is ever fresh and of which one never wearies. 



1 can only hope that this series of visits has proved 

 of sufficient practical interest to warrant the space occupied. 



Freely Imported Species and their Treatment. 



By Philip Gosse, M.R.C.S. 



Passerine Pakrakeets {Psittacula passer h/a). The 

 pair that bred in my aviary, this September, were bought 

 from a well known dealer about a year ago. They spent the 

 winter out of doors and were soon in splendid condition. 



In August I noticed that the hen had disappeared, and 

 although I searched every nook and cranny I could not see 

 or find out whether she had escaped or what had happened 

 to 'her. For several weeks I saw nothing of her, but on 

 September the 8th I found a fully fledged young cock 

 Blue -wing dead on the floor of the aviary shelter; and on 

 looking into a hollow elm branch that hung under the roof, 

 out flew the long -lost hen, and inside were two more; young 

 cocks. 



At the same time! I found sitting on a twig at the other 

 end of the flight what I took to be a young cock Madagas- 

 car Love-bird. It was a thick-set little Parrakeet, green all 

 over, but with the head and neck covered with grey quills. 

 I did not suspect that I had made a mistake until I saw 

 the old Blue-wing cock feeding it, when I saw that it was 

 a young Blue -wing hen, in perfect feather except for the head 

 and neck, which were covered with grey quills. In about a 

 week's time this had changed to uniform green. 



,The young cock Blue-wings had much more colour 

 showing when at rest with the wings closed than the adult 

 bird. 



The old birds soon went to nest again, and are now 

 (November 7th), incubating another clutch in an elm log. 



