Some Notes on Keeping Parrakecfs. 27 



indoors, altoj^ether, in a room with an even temperature. 

 Moulting" birds, especially late moulting' ones, require watching ; 

 even if they have passed a previous winter out of doors, they 

 may take cold while casting their feathers, and need a period of 

 warmth and nursing. Acclimatized birds in perfect feather, 

 can, however, be hardened off and turned out of doors in winte" 

 without much risk, even though they have been living for some 

 weeks in a warm room. It is best to wait until a mild 

 south-westerly wind first succeeds a period of severe weather. 



Nest boxes, or logs should have a concave bottom and .. 

 small entrance hole, and should allow the hen and her brood 

 ample room. If the box is too small the young may be 

 accidentally crushed by their parents when half-grown, or the 

 latter, after investigation of their cramped quarters, may give 

 up all idea of breeding in disgust. 



April 15th is quite soon enough to put up the 

 nests; if the birds lay earlier in the year there is great 

 risk of egg-binding". This malady is usually due to cold, but 

 the chances of it are increased by the hen having been kept short 

 of exercise, or being for any other reason a little out of 

 condition. A cure can always be affected by keeping the 

 patient at a temperature of from 80-85 degrees. The symptoms 

 are puffiness, drooping of the wings, and burying of the head 

 in the feathers of the back; great prostration very soon sets in. 

 A hen which gets egg-bound in warm weather is best got rid of. 

 as she will always be useless for breeding. Male birds which 

 have been caged during the winter are no good for breeding the 

 following spring, no matter how vigorous and eager to mate 

 they may appear. Exercise is absolutely necessary to ensure 

 fertility in male Broadtails. 



A cock Broadtail can sometimes be got to pair with two 

 hens, but the genus is by nature strictly monogamous. The 

 cock does not incubate, but feeds his sitting mate and takes 

 almost entire charge of the young in the later stages. The 

 latter are best separated from their parents as soon as thev can 

 feed themselves. 



Broadtail Parrakeets are fond of bathing, and should be 



