Correspondence, Notes, etc ,



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Dr. Russ says that this is the most beautiful of all Sparrows; at the

same time is more pleasing, gentle, and peaceable, than any of the larger

forms. It has been bred in Germany. A. G. BUTTER.



THE RED-MANTLED PARRAKEET.


Sir,—I n your description of Mr. Fasey’s aviaries, you add that you

wish he would prove the origin of Platycercus erythropeplus. Mr.

Cocksedge, in his aviaries at Beyton, bred two fine Red-mantled Parra-

keets from a cock Pennant and a lien Red Rosella. These nested and

hatched two young ones, but they died when a few days old.


The old birds were shown at the Palace Show and awarded first prize.

They were described by Canon Dutton in the Avicultural Magazine, and

their great rarity commented upon.


They passed into my possession and I had them some time, but I

parted with them at the end of last year. I have had frequent nests of

this cross in my aviaries. This year two, but in only one case were the

eggs fertile, but the young birds (2) were killed by a weasel about two

weeks after they left the nest. Marian Johnstone.


[We are much obliged to Mrs. Johnstone for her interesting com¬

munication, which proves conclusively that the so-called “Red-mantled”

Parrakeet is, as was supposed, merely a hybrid between Platycercus elegans

and P. eximius. —Ed.]



BREEDING ROCK-PEPLERS AND BARNARD’S PARRAKEETS.


Sir,—M y Rock-Peplers have hatched, and I expect the young to fly

any day; they make a great deal of noise and there seem to be several of

them.


My Barnards had three fine young birds, and the hen is sitting again.


Marian Johnstone.



GOULDIANS.


Sir,—M ay I trouble you to kindly give me a little information re

Gouldians.


I have a Red-faced cock paired to a Black-faced lieu, and they have

been sitting on five eggs since Sunday the 21st June. When may I expect

them to hatch ?


When due to hatch, I propose giving them dried yolk-flake and

flowering grass, besides their usual seeds; is there anything better? Would

it be any advantage to scald some canary and Indian millet for them? they

eat chiefly the small Indian millet.


They are in a small cage; and the nest is in a cocoa-nut husk, and

built of grass I gave them to pick the seed off.



Chas. P. Arthur.



