232 The Laughing Jackass. 



My specimen keeps himself clean and spotless by frequent 

 baths and sometimes sits in beatific ease fully exposed to a 

 drenching delu.i^e of rain. Once he caugiit a mouse on his own, 

 and appeared delighted with his skill. He would certainly make 

 short work of any weaker birds which happened to enter his 

 aviary. 1 fear the only laughing would be done by the jackass ! 

 I remember reading somewhere about an aviculturist who kept 

 a laughing jackass, which was allowed loose in the garden, with 

 one wing clipped. It took possession of a dog kennel from 

 which point of vantage it would suddenly spring out upon any 

 unsuspecting birds that came near. The owner, if I remember 

 rightly, found sundry feathers of small birds all around the 

 kennel, and it did not need a Sherlock Holmes to assign the 

 deaths of various small birds to the old rascal who dwelt in the 

 kennel. 



Jack is a very easy subject to photograph as he sits so still 

 Consequently I have taken quite a number of " snaps " in vari- 

 ous positions as can be seen from the accompanying illustra- 

 tions. " Jack has been in my possession for some time and has 

 proved a most excellent and amusing pet. It is, undoubtedly, a 

 very hardy species. My bird has lived in an unheated outdoor 

 aviary ever since he came to me, summer and winter alike. It 

 is also a bird of lengthy life. I do not know the age of mine but 

 his former owner had him for two years and he was not young 

 then. I can account for four years and goodness knows how 

 many preceded that ! He is hale and hearty now and I hope 

 he will " carry on " for many years to come. To me, personally, 

 when I go home on my rare spells of " leave," I find it most 

 exhilarating to hear his hearty laugh. I feel sure, if he were 

 asked that classic query " Are we downhearted ?" Jack's answer 

 would be a cheery and most emphatic " No ! " 



^4-H> 



Breeding of Hybrid Cochatoos. 



By Mrs. M. A. Lee. 



I find it very difficult to start this article, telling, so far as 

 I am able, the details which culminated in the successful rearing 

 of a hybrid Roseate (Cacatua roseicapilla) x Lemon-crested (C. 

 sulphurea) Cockatoo. 



