on an Avicultural Medley.



223



Easter. Black-cheekecl and pearl-faced Lovebirds and Zebra finches

are incubating; the Green cardinals are building and a pair of

Swainson’s lorikeets have begun to lay; the Redrumps and Rosellas

are inspecting nest-boxes just provided.


My old orange-headed ground thrush is just coming into

song and has stopped trying to peck his hen in the next aviary—sure

sign that he will shortly be feeding her through the wires, when he

will have his usual reward; the door of the nuptial chamber will be

opened and he will pop through. Joey, the old Cockatiel, will be

given one more chance, but if the first clutch of eggs is clear, off he

goes to his rightful owner.


My piece de resistance for this year is a pair of Yucatan blue

and black Jays —{if they breed, Mr. Editor, I shall expect a gold

medal, for you had a pair and failed).* At present they are still caged,

and are waiting for the weather to improve before going out; the

small aviary where the Blue Pie bred two years ago is spick and span,

and I have provided a very artistic and attractive nesting place.


If anyone has already bred these birds will they please write

to me at once. I don’t think I could again survive the shock Lord

Lilford gave me by breeding the Blue Pie and not publishing his

notes within a reasonable time.


Apart from being very handsome birds, these Jays are

extremely tame and amusing. I don’t think, however, that my male

bird quite realises his duties. The female, who is the tamer bird,

usually gets the mealworm, carries it to the male, who promptly

takes it, and as often as not forgets that his gaping spouse expects

the morsel to be returned to her.


I am not an ornithologist, and I hesitate to interfere with the

already complicated nomenclature of birds; but can anyone tell me

why these birds are Jays ? Would not Blue and Black Magpie be a

much more suitable description of this species ? They have not the

long tail of a Magpie, it is true!; but apart from this their outline is

practically identical, and they have no crest to speak of. Perhaps

some reader who is a frequenter of the South Kensington Museum

will kindly enlighten me.



* [The Editor still has a most beautiful and true pair, but they are in a cage.]

f [We quite agree. These birds look much more like magpies.— Ed.]



