on an Avicultzcral Medley.



227



season. The following year both birds were in rather poor feather in

the spring, and could not fly well till late in the breeding season, and

again nothing happened. During the winter of that year the old hen

departed this life, in spite of careful nursing. Her tongue had

protruded for some months—always a bad sign with this type of

bird—and with her death ended my hopes of breeding a species

which has seldom even attempted to build, and which I believe has

never before produced eggs in this country.


In 1915 I introduced a very nice young hen, which I obtained

from Mr. Frostick, to the old cock, but he was never much taken

with her, and occasionally bullied her shamefully, though she did her

best to line a nest during the summer. The following winter,

however, she turned the tables on her late tormenter, and very

nearly killed him the first day they were caged for the winter. This

necessitated finding a temporary home elsewhere for her, which I

was fortunate enough to be able to do.


In 1916 we had endless squabbles and no nesting, so I parted

with the hen, and also another pair of Fruitsuckers which I had

bought early in the year. The latter had, before coming into my

possession, built a nest during the winter in an outdoor aviary, but

did nothing after coming into my possession.


Thus ends the history of my attempt to breed what I still

consider one of the most attractive of “ soft-bills.” Someone

(possibly it will be myself) will doubtless succeed one day, but it will,

I feel sure, not be until we get another hot summer like that of 1911.

My advice for this season is to try King Penguins, or Arctic blue-

throats.


I have by dint of great self-control re-read these notes, and

have come to the conclusion that the title of my article is by far the

most brilliant feature of a very lengthy and tiresome rigmarole.*



* [We are grateful to Dr. Arnsler for a most interesting and instructive article.


—Ed.]



