2 lS



much attached to each other and to their owners.” In the very

next sentence he flatly contradicts himself : “ Green Leeks do.

not show any strong affection one for the other.” Maybe he

thought Barrabauds and Green Leeks two distindl species !


Mr. Wiener says, “ I have gathered costly experience by

seeing Barrabauds fall in fits from their perches for very trivial

causes.” When I remember the strange and wonderful things,

on which he fed his birds, I am not surprised to hear that they

left him so suddenly.


Dr. Greene on the Barraband is distinctly pessimistic:

“On the whole, one can scarcely recommend the tyro in Parrot

keeping to invest his money in Barrabauds, which are by no

means common, and when imported usually fetch from £3 to £\

each in the market. Enough has been said to show that they

are even more difficult to keep than the Purple-cap or Blue

Mountain Lory.”


Only one ray of light seemed to show through the

surrounding darkness. Here are the magic words that fired my

ambition; “So far, none of these birds have been bred in captivity,

either here or on the Continent; nor are we aware even of any

cases of egg production among them.” That determined me. I

would have Barrabands, cost what it might. I would demonstrate

that they could be kept if treated on rational principles, and,

maybe, with luck, I would even get as far as eggs, if not farther I


Some years ago I had a pair of Barrabands ; but not

having very much spare room, I sold them to a friend. We

can’t breed everything at once, and I was then full up with

other kinds; but I said to myself, “ The day shall come when I

will make room for you, my beauties.”


This spring, or rather last “ back end ” I turned a pair of

splendid Barrabands into one of my outdoor aviaries. I did so

with fear and trembling after reading my many “Job’s Comfor¬

ters,” and I thought to myself, “ My dears, yours will be a short life

and a merry, and on some near morning you will drop from

your perch in a fit and give me a costly burial.” However, I

determined not to do anything to hasten their end ; and, as I do

not believe any healthy-minded Barraband eats sponge cake,

pulped figs, boiled rice, Jamaica sugar, soaked currants, cabbage

blooms, mignonette, pea or bean blooms, and so on, I never

gave them the opportunity of committing suicide !


When first put out, my Barrabands were rather wild ; but

soon got to know me, and took little notice of their harmless

necessary feeder. They passed the whole of last winter out



