-L^XI.-j Mkllor, Malice -Fowl on l\ciiii;uyoo Island. 



57 



iiulu(K' prinumciil \v;i(ri-. iS;i-.. and the wtjUm-'s observations Inlly 

 l>ro\o the necessity ot enlarging the area. The land is of poor 

 quality, rocky, and unfit for agriculture, and of very little use 

 even for grazing. The two horses kept at the lighthouse have to 

 be fed on chaff. Under these circumstances, the setting aside of 

 a large area will in no way be a great loss to the Government, 

 and, on the other hand, will mean a great national gain, the worth 

 ot which can only ])c rightly gauged by future generations. 



Nesting of Psephotus haematonotus in Captivity. 



By Mrs. A. D. Hardy, R.A.O.U., Kew. 



My aviary consists of an octagon, with a flight and a trap. The 

 octagon has five glass sides, giving shelter from the southerly and 

 westerly winds, with wire-netting on the sides facing north, and 

 oj^ens freely into the flight compartment, which is wire-netted 

 both on roof and sides. Round seven sides of the octagon is a 

 corrugated iron breastwork or skirting about 2 feet 6 inches high, 

 and this continues round the weather side of the flight and trap. 

 The central pole of the octagon aids to support the corrugated iron 

 roof and wood ceiling, and to this and the angles are attached 

 fixed and swinging perches of jarrah — hard wood, which stands 

 a good deal of nibbling. The floor is the natural ground, with the 

 surface well sanded. 



Here are domiciled pairs of King Lories (Aprosinictus cyano- 

 pygius). Pale-headed Rosellas [Platycerctis pallidiceps), Cockatoo- 

 Parrakeets {CallopsiUacus novce-hollandice), Red-backed Parrakeets 

 [Psephotus hceniatonotus), " Budgerigars " [Melopsittacus undulatus), 

 Rosellas {Platycerciis eximiiis), and " Blue Bonnets " [Psephotus 

 xanihorvhous) ; but this pair, having set out to murder the others, 

 and having succeeded to the extent of kflling one "Bulla-Bulla" 

 [Barnardiiis barnardi) and maiming another, had to be trans- 

 ferred to a refractory ward on the other side of the house, where 

 they seem happy. There are also single birds of the Crimson or 

 Pennant Parrakeet {Platycercus elegans). Yellow Parrakeet [P. 

 flaveolns), "Port Lincoln" or Yellow-banded Parrakeet [Barnardiiis 

 zonayiiis), besides a Plum-headed Parrot [Palaornis cyanocephaliis) 

 and a Rock-Parrot, both from the Indian region. 



After the removal of the Blue Bonnets there was comparative 

 peace. The big white house cat clambering up the wire-netted 

 side and lying on the wire roof, which sagged with his weight, 

 disturbed them naught, but occasional visits of a large Brown 

 Hawk sent them in haste to the shelter of the roofed octagon, 

 where a few of the more timid ones dashed about in great terror. 



On the ground floor (and, I fear, in contravention of the Game 

 Act) -were five Brown Quails and two Little Doves [Geopelia 

 ameata). To better shelter the Oualil from rough play of the 

 Parrots I placed a wooden candle-box (inverted) on the sanded 



