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to draw attention when we turned away — as pets, it, perhaps,

was their one drawback. That pipe might have got upon one's

nerves. They were said to have been taken from the nest, and

brought over as pets, by the man who sold them to Mr. Jamrach,

from whom Mr. Fulljames bought them. They did the importer

the greatest credit.


I have some reason to hope that their owner is going to

devote a large aviary in another room to these lovel}^ birds, to

induce them to breed. It was, at the time of my visit, inhabited

by a Cinnamon Blackbird and "Jacob," the talking Starling (not

that he favoured me with any conversation), both of whom might

very well make way for the Parrakeets. It would be a great

feather in anyone's cap to have a nest of young AlexaJidrczs.


Lastl}^, the most interesting bird was the Spix Macaw.

The most interesting, because it is clearly a bab}', and now,

owing to Mr. Fulljames' kindness, I can tell my readers what

they will not find, as far as I know, in any book — that the young

bird has every feather on the back edged with black, entirely un-

like the even grey-blue of the adult. It was very tame and gentle,

but not, as regards plumage, in the best of condition. I never

can see a bird in rough plumage, without longing to get it right.

And so it was arranged between Mr. Fulljames and myself that I

should have the Spix at Bibury, and try what a little outdoor life

might do for it. Had our plan come off, I might have had more to

say hereafter about the Spix Macaw as a pet. But I had reckoned

without Mrs. S. When she was told of the plan, she showed so

much reludtance to the Spix going out of her keeping that I

withdrew my proposal. It is not fair to those who have the

trouble of our birds to disregard their feelings about their

charges.


With this ends the account of my very pleasant visit. I

write it in the hope that it may not be altogether uninteresting

to my readers, but that the bare account should be as interesting

to them as the visit was to me is not to be expected.


P.S. — I should perhaps say that, though I think the heat

of the Parrot-room was too much for Australian Parrots, it is

not the heat I so much objedl to as the want of oxygen. My

Nymphicus cornutus, which is out of doors and comes from a

hot climate, has exadtly the sheen of Mr. Fulljames' Hyacinthine

Macaw.



