Breeding notes—and others—for 1916.



331



and incubated their three eggs steadily but without result. The

cock sat quite as much as the hen, as is the custom with these birds

when at liberty.


A hen Lutino Indian Ringneck—lent me by Mr. Ezra—paired

with a green cock and laid four eggs which were clear. The birds

were in a small indoor flight.


A hen Lutino Plumhead also laid three eggs, but as she is a

bird of suffragistic views and will not tolerate a male member of her

species anywhere near her, it is not surprising that her attempt to

perpetuate her species “ on her own ” likewise ended in failure.


A pair of Barraband’s parrakeets in a small indoor aviary had

clear eggs, and some Blue-winged Grass parrakeets fared no better.


A pair of Guiana parrotlets nested twice in a big cage without

result and seem disposed to make a third attempt. The cock feeds

the hen on the nest and spends a good deal of time with her in the

box, but I do not think he ever incubates the eggs himself.


A pair of Eed-capped Parrakeets which had passed the winter

in a large cage, nested in an outdoor aviary, but the eggs were clear

as on a previous occasion. I have no doubt that I could breed these

birds if I could winter them out-of-doors, but the species is so rare

and so subject to chills that I do not like risking my last pair.


Stanley parrakeets have always failed with me when the cocks

have been caged during the winter, so last year I determined to leave

my best cocks out of doors. Of four hens, one did not breed, one

became egg-bound and was saved with great difficulty, and the re¬

maining two laid five eggs each and hatched and reared three and

two young birds respectively.


A young hen Redrump—bought chiefly out of pity and a

desire to terminate her unhappy existence in a small cage in a dealer’s

shop—was so grateful, apparently for her release, as to pair at once

with a newly acquired cock, go to nest in an aviary containing

several other birds and hatch a family, which she is now engaged

in rearing.


A young Port Adelaide parrakeet, bred at liberty and living

free, paired with a Cuban Amazon parrot and nested in an oak tree.

Unfortunately the parrot died or was killed before she had a chance

of hatching her eggs. This odd couple were much attached to each



