More Notes on SivaUisou's Lorikeets. 22,^ 



On February 9th my notes say: " Young doinj;- well, 

 have been quilled about a week, eyes open, try to hide when 

 inspected; weather very cold ever since January i8th; frequent 

 snow-storms, and of late 10 to 14 dei^rees of frost at night." 



February 12th: " Colour well developed, blue on head 

 breasts red, and backs green; 18-20 degrees of frost." 



Notwithstanding these atrocious weather conditions all 

 went well, and both birds left the nest on March 17th, i.e. at the 

 age of eight weeks. 



Why should these birds, which were hatched under the 

 most adverse circumstances, leave their nest in just half the time 

 taken by their predecessor? It is possible, of course, that the 

 latter had some innate weakness, but I am inclined to think that 

 the diet of fresh cow's milk suited the youngsters better than 

 condensed milk. Anyhow, I have continued it the whole of 

 this year with signal success, and my attem])t at variety l)y 

 substituting either sponge-cake or condensed milk for X\\f- 

 ground rice and fresh milk was not favourably received by the 

 ])arents. 



^ly observations on the i)lumage of nestlings tallies, I 

 think, with those of Sir Leo Money. The colours are as bright 

 as in the adult bird, with the exception of the beaks and irides, 

 which are reddish-brown instead of vermilion. The tail is, of 

 course, much shorter at first than is the case in a full-grown l)ird. 



i sus]:)ect that it is usual for the two young to be a pair. 

 I have not been able to observe much difference in profile or 

 shape of beak, but one of the young is usually brighter on the 

 chest than the other, by which I mean that there is a larger 

 expanse of \-ermilion on the orange or yellow ground. 



In this connection it is interesting to note what T 

 consider is probably an abnormality in my adult birds, viz. : 

 that the hen, although considerably smaller and more [^ctitc in 

 appearance than the cock, is very much brighter in the coloura- 

 tion of the chest. 



