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consisted of seven eggs, five of which hatched out on June 5th,

the other two being addled. As I write (June 16th), these chicks

are doing well ; their quill feathers have grown, and they can

fly. Last year the first brood was not hatched until August 1st,

and even then a second brood was hatched and reared in

September, so that if all goes well I shall not be surprised if

this pair hatch one or two broods more this year.


O11 the nth of April last, I received a cock and four hens

of the Australian form of the Painted Quail, the so-called Island

Painted Quail (. Excalfactoria lineater). It is a slightly smaller

bird than the typical E. chinensis, is darker in colour, and the

tarsi are apparently somewhat shorter. It is probably only

entitled to sub-specific distinction. I put a pair of these in the

second part of the aviary about May 1st, and in a very short

time the hen commenced to lay in a corner, under some fagots.

Here she sat steadily and well, and on June 13th hatched out

three chicks, which are now doing well. They are decidedly

darker in colour than the young Chinese birds, and appear in

fact almost black. I supply each brood of young Quails with

an ant’s nest or two every morning, so they have abundance of

insect food.


Of Parrakeets I have at present three species of Psephoti

(. P '. multicolor , P. hcematonotus , and P. hcematorrlions'), a Musky

Lorikeet, and a specimen of the rare Yellow-fronted Parrakeet

( [Brotogerys tuipara) ; as well as a pair of Cockatiels and some

Budgerigars. The Redrumps have at present two youngsters,

able to shift for themselves (both hens), and the hen is sitting

again. The Many-colours seem inclined to breed, but have not

started laying as yet. Three young Cockatiels are out of the

nest, and their parents are sitting again. The only drawback

about Budgerigars is their excessive prolificacy. I started this

season with two pairs and now have nineteen birds, the last two

nests producing seven and five respectively.


Diamond Doves have not done so well as usual with me so

far this season. I lost my old hen in January last, and have to

rely upon a young hen I bred last year to keep up a stock of

these most charming Doves, in my aviary. She has, I believe,

two newly hatched youngsters at the present time.


I have one or two young Crimson-finches ( Neochniict

phaeton ) in the nest, but whether they will be reared or not is

most uncertain ; my pair had several nests last year, but failed

to rear any young.



