Psephofiis Panakeefs at Liberty. 37 



power of bcalc. beside'^ being very active, but the Hooded 

 put up such a plucky fli&ht and was so quick on the wing 

 that he was actuary getting the best of i^ when the hen Blue- 

 bonnet turned the tables by coming to her inate's assistance. 

 Against the two the Plooded had no chance and matters were 

 ending in a nasty mix-up on the grounc? when I hurried out 

 and separated the combatants. To prevent the renewal of 

 hostilities, I was obliged to return the Hooded to the aviary. 

 I did not at all like doing so as she was then out of sight 

 of her mate, and also practically out of hearing, for Hoodeds 

 like Alany-colours, have weak voices and do not call much. 

 My fears were partly realized, for «'he cock grew restless and 

 finally flew av/ay over the house, making rne feel very anxious 

 indeed. Luckily, however, he again fell in with the young 

 Red-rumps and the second encounter seems to have been more 

 friendly than the first, for the next day he was accompanying 

 the hen who had treated him so unceremoniously on the occa- 

 sion of their first meeting. 



A few days later I released the hen Hooded and for 

 a time the cock went back to her and was even seen to feed 

 her. Then for some reason he began to neglect her and was 

 more and more in the company of the young Red-rump, whom 

 he finally took up with altogether, leaving her to console her- 

 self with the Red-rump's brother. Both Hoodeds passed 

 througli the winter successfally out of doors, and at the time 

 of writing (June 191 5) the cock and the young Red-rump 

 are nesting in the same clump of trees as the latter's parents 

 — rather an odd proceeding considering the pugnacity of all 

 Psepliot' during the breeding season, for the clump is quite 

 a small one. 



Pspphotus pi/lc/icrn'ini/s i\]\(.\ P. r/irysoptcrygius I have 

 never been fortunate enough to obtain. The former is now so 

 rare that it is doubtful if it will ever again be seen in this 

 country : the latter appears to be only a local race of the 

 Hooded, so there is no reason why it sh<^)uld not turn up 

 again some day. 



The two remaining Pscp/iot/ ar( /•'. xaf/t/iorr/ioiis. the 

 Common or Vellow-vented Blue-bonnet, P. haematorrlious the 

 Red-\tiued Blue-bonnet, P. xnrit/iorrhoushas a. yellowish-olive 



