Bird Notes.



114



BiRD NOTES.



We are pleased to hear that the Corporation of Stockport have decided,

at the suggestion of our member, Mr. Bouskill, to introduce an aviary into

their Vernon Park. The North-east side will be devoted to members of the

Crow family; in the centre will come Parrakeets and the larger finches, and

the south end will be used for the smaller finches, mostly foreigners. We

wish other towns would follow the good example set by .Stockport.


A small consignment of the pretty little Varied, or Red-crowned

Lorikeet (Ptilosclera versicolor), which inhabits Northern and Western

Australia, has recently reached this country, and there is little doubt that

these are the first examples of this interesting species to arrive on our

shores. This small Lorikeet was separated from the genus frichoglossus by

Bonaparte, and certainly differs very materially, both in its habits and the

arrangement of its colours, from that very well-defined genus.


Gould wrote :—“ Could this species be transmitted to Europe, and a

kind of food suitable to it be discovered, it would form one of the most

delightful cage-pets that has ever been introduced.” Fortunately we have,

in sweetened milk-sop, a substitute for its natural food which, with the

addition of sweet grapes and other fruit, seems to suit it admirably. At

present seed is not touched.


With reference to the subject of food for Lorikeets in captivity, Mrs.

Hamilton, who recently lost a specimen of Swainson's Lorikeet ( Tticho -

glossus n over-hoilan dice) which had lived in her possession, in perfect

health, for ten years, writes :—“ I can hardly sav he had any particular diet,

as I gave him freely of anything he would eat, in the way of apples, grapes,

sometimes a bit of banana, honey, sponge-cake, and what he loved better

than anything,—occasionally" a teaspoonful of milk. A bit of sugar was also

appreciated. As to seed, he had canary and a little hemp always in his

cage, but he lived so much out of it, and was so inquisitive, going to all

the other cages, and slipping inside to see what his friends had, that I think

he partook of a variety of seed. Latterly I fancy he took too much sun¬

flower seed. I supplied green food daily when not wet flowering

grasses, groundsel, mignonette, and dandelion flowers. He always returned

to his cage to order, and made several very pretty little cries, chuckling like

a hen, and whistling a clear, long note. He loved his bath and rolled

over and over until every feather was soaked. He was a very excitable bird,

and loved to be noticed, and was jealous of any one speaking to any of his

companions. I attribute his long life to the freedom he enioyed. His last

effort was to fly over to me, in doing which he dropped lifeless.”



