THE



Bvtcultural fllba$a3me,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICU LTURAL SOCIETY.



VOL. VIII. — NO. 4.. All rights reserved.



FEBRUARY, 1902.



THE PARROT-FINCH.


(Erythrura psittacea).


By D. Seth-Smith, F.Z.S.


So popular is the Parrot-finch with those who have kept

it, and so admired is it by all, that I have little doubt the illustra¬

tion which appears this month will be highly appreciated by our

members.


This lovely Grassfinch is, unfortunately, at the present

time far rarer in this country than we could wish it to be,

although during the winter of 1897-8 quite a number were

imported, several of which reproduced their kind in the aviaries

of various aviculturists in different parts. But it has, apparently,

nearly died out amongst us, and probably few of our members

own breeding pairs at the present time. This is greatly to be

regretted as the species is a most desirable one for culture in our

aviaries, and is by no means delicate.


I believe our member, Mr. August F. Weiner, was the first

to breed the Parrot-finch in England, many years ago, since

which this most desirable event did not, I believe, again take

place until 1898, when young were reared in Eondon by Mr.

Phillipps, and in Yorkshire by Mr. St. Ouintin (see Vol. IV.

page 199, and Vol. V. page 20), although, in France, Mr. A.

Savage reared several young the year before this, four of which

eventually came into the present writer’s possession.


I have never attained success in breeding this species,

although nests were built and eggs laid. My pair would sit

splendidly until just before the eggs were due to hatch, when they

deserted and commenced building another nest. The eggs, in

even 7 case, were found to contain young.


One often succeeds in breeding birds the second year,

although failing to do so the first year, and I quite hoped that I



