18? Some Colony Birds. 



Psittaciila guianens's. is of a uniform pea-green colour, lighter 

 below. It is hardly five inches in length, the tail extending 

 but liillc beyond the wings. The under-wing coVerts of 

 the male are of a beautiful ultramarine blue; the basta/d 

 wing, light blue. The ends of 'the 'primaries are brown and 

 the tail feathers are pointed like the blade of a spear. The 

 hen is 'paler, and yellow on the forehead. It well earns its 

 name for it is disconsolate when alone, and, when paired, 

 neither seems content except when " sitting* adjacent." And 

 they are forever billing, warbling, and feeding each other. 

 Like all true lovers they have their quarrels and reconcilia- 

 tions, and it is interesting to Watch them. Now, the little lord 

 will bury his beak in the feathers of the neck of his spouse 

 and whisper protestations of his love into her willing ear; 

 then something too trifling for human eye to note will happen 

 and their shrill voices raised. But it is soon over. The little 

 lord gains tho supremacy and they both go down to the seed- 

 box to soothe their ruffled spirits. 



I ^li'ive three of these birds, the odd one being a hen 

 and very de trap. The other two combine to drive her off 

 as if s'he were a. step-mother. Occasionally they relent a little 

 and then the little lord has an affectionate mate on either side 

 vying with each other in their fond caresses. Me bears him- 

 self nobly. 



Under favourable circumstances these charming birds 

 will breed in captivity as freely as canaries. 

 {To be continued). 



Early Notes of the Season. 



B\' h2. M . Hrk'.ht. 



The promise of the very early days of the season has 

 not been upheld, the warm spell being succeeded by very 

 wintry and wet weather, and up liil quif^ recently frosts in 

 the early morning were quite common. In consequence many 

 promising broods came to nought, and only in a few cases 

 have young been fully reared. 



Pope Cardinals {Paroaria larvata): In the early days 



