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their getting fat and lazy. The longer the cage the better, with perches at

the ends only. Above each end perch there should be an extra little one ; the

one at the darker end will be used as a hiding-place (which these nervous

birds require) the other as a gymnastic-pole—for the Tui is a splendid

gymnast. The perches should be thin, but of different sizes. Never handle

or frighten them, for they (especially the females) will have partial paralysis

from sheer nervousness. I used always to place bromide of potassium in the

drinking water before moving the one I had for so long. Be very careful

about raw fruit, especially bananas; good grapes they appreciate, and

possibly the ripest of ripe pears would not hurt them.


Reginald Phiggipps.


BREEDING CRIMSON-WING AND KING PARRAKEETS.


Sir, —In the February number of the Magazine, Mr. John Doherty

asks for a little information on the above subject, and I venture to send

these few notes. The idea of a Dove rearing a Parrakeet is novel, and, in

my humble opinion, impossible, the shape of the beak, etc., forbids it.

When Mr. Doherty gets a nest of Parrakeets, and sees the parents feeding

them, he will see the reason. Doves and Parrakeets do not, and cannot, feed

in the same way.


Crimson-wings (Aprosmictus crythropterus ) and Kings [Aprosmictus

scapulatus) were bred in France in 1880, (about), for the first time, as far as I

know, and have been bred (Crimson-wings especially) a considerable num¬

ber of times since by amateurs. Instances have been recorded where

Crimson-wings in aviaries have laid on the ground, behind a faggot placed on

the floor of the aviary, where the Golden Pheasants they were kept with used

to lay; another time in an open box, with saw-dust in it, placed also on the

floor of the aviary; and again on the floor, in the usual nesting-box or log.

This would tend to show that they prefer a nest placed low, on or near the

floor, to high up under the roof; but anyone who breeds them in a good sized

aviary can put a nest-box in each position, then they can chose to then-

own liking. Kings prefer the nest-box fixed as high as possible under the

roof. Both species are capable of having two, or even three, nests in a year,

when they commence breeding early in the season, and the autumn is mild.

There are generally 3 eggs to the clutch, sometimes 2, but they have been

known to lay 4 and 5 per clutch. They incubate 21 days, and the young

remain 40 to 50 days in the nest. Food, canary seed, wheat, oats, sunflower

seed, hemp and maize, mixed or separate, and spray millet; green-food—

groundsel in flower, chickweed, etc., of which they require a large quantity

when feeding their young. Some amateurs give also, when they have

young, separatel}-, boiled maize and milk-sop—boiling milk poured over the

bread — given cold, naturellement, but care must be taken these two latter do

not become sour; they must be given fresh at least once a day, and more

frequently in hot weather if they do become sour. Some pairs will eat fruit,

apples, pears, cherries, etc., while others will scarcely touch them. Both

.species are adult the third year, in full plumage by then and fit for breeding.


I never heard before of a pair trying to breed in a cage so small as the one

Mr. Doherty keeps his in. He has evidently a good pair anxious to breed,

and with care he ought to be successful. But a larger cage, a box-cage

wired at the front only, would suit better, say 3 or 4 feet cube, especially

when the young leave the nest and they require more room.


A. Savage, [Rouen).



