12 ^1y Breeding Experiences— i 9 i 6. 



than the other three ! 



My other successes were a brood of Bullfinches, and 

 one hybrid Hawfinch X Bullfinch successfully reared. 



Mv Last and Worst Tragedy: My beautiful pair 

 of Swainson's Lorikeets {Triclwglossus novae -hollandiae) had 

 nested and fully reared a young one, just ready to leave the 

 nest when one awful stormy night the wind blew the cover olT 

 their aviary, the rain got into their barrel and when I went 

 to feed them in the morning the cock had a fit and died, 

 the young one in the barrel lived till the next day, the hen 

 also died a few days later and I was left lamenting. 1 had 

 got so fond of them, having procured them just before this 

 terrible war broke out; they had become quite tame and 

 never screamed at all. 1 feel heart-broken and ready to sell 

 out and give up! I really love my birds and hope some 

 time to be able to get another pair. 



Birds Feeding at Night. 



By M. R. Tomlinson. 



I am afraid this ( ommunication cannot be looked 

 upon as an important contribution to the sum of knowledge 

 regarding our hobby. However, as our esteemed editor is 

 always asking for copy, I send these notes on the above 

 subject, in the hope that they will be of interest to fellow- 

 meimbers . 



Some years ago circumstances compelled me to find room 

 in my bedroom for a week or two for a cage containing a 

 paiv of black-headed Mannikins. These birds undoubtedly 

 fed every night when it was quite dark. It was a usual 

 experience for me to. be wakened by the sound of their 

 movements. The cage was a home-made one,— a box with 

 wire-netting front. A seed tin was hooked into the wire close 

 to the end of the perch the birds slept on, in such position 

 that they could feel for it and step on to it without difficulty. 

 They did tins practically every night, the movement being 

 followed by the sound of seeds being cracked, accompanied 

 Dy a little subdued murmurmg as of conversation. Though 

 the birdi were able to step from the perch on 10 the tin, they 



