42



Mr. Wm, R. Fasey,



transfer them to his offspring. This fact, combined with his

unwelcome efforts to persuade the hen to occupy new nests, and

also the belief that the young bird hatched last year was killed

by the cock H. spilonotus induced me to confine the offender, and

he was placed in a large cage where he could see the hen without

annoying her, and without doubling the necessary supply of live

food.


I am personally averse to supplying mealworms to the

young of birds of this size in any quantity, and it is astonishing

to see the amount of ant pupae which go to the feeding of one

young Weaver. Small worms, caterpillars, and flies were also

supplied. On the iotli of August the young bird could be heard

squeaking in the nest, the call resembling that of the young

Sparrow. I left home on the 17th of August, a lady neighbour

kindly consenting to look after my birds. She supplied insect

food many times daily. However, when the young bird was

almost fully fledged it appears to have fallen out of the nest, and

to have been unable to get off the floor where it was killed in the

night by mice. The specimen was sent on to me and, though

disfigured, was very healthy. The general colour on the back,

head, wings and tail being a dusky olive, with the breast lemon-

yellow, the centre a brighter yellow, beak and legs horn colour.


From the bright streak of yellow down the breast I believe

the bird to have been a male, and had it lived it would have been

interesting to note the full colour when adopted, since the males

of H. spilonotus and H. cucullatus differ considerably.


Since then the hen has laid three more eggs and incubated

the full time, but none have proved fertile.



SOME EXPERIENCES WITH PARRAKEETS, ETC.


By Wm. R. Fasey.


One sometimes reads of a mixed collection of birds being

kept in an aviary with expectations of young birds being reared.

I am afraid “ expectation ” is generally as far as it goes, especially

when Parrakeets are concerned ; at least that is my experience.

I would not like to say success cannot sometimes be obtained,

but the results will be far from encouraging. I have had young

birds such as Rosellas, Cockatiels, Budgerigars, Love Birds, etc.,.



