THE



Hvtcultural ®a$a3tne,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCIETY.



VOL. I!.—No. IS.



FEBRUARY, 1896.



THE LOVE-BIRD.


By Reginald Philupps.


I am glad to see that Mr. Castellan has transferred

the case of the Rove-bird front the Feathered World to the

Aviciiltural Magazine . There are not a few who seem to call

any small member (including the Budgerigar) of the Parrot

family, irrespective of genus, colouring, or habits, a Rove-bird,

so that the title has become meaningless ; and I have long felt

that it would be better in every way if it were reserved for the

Agapornes, the genus most entitled to it. The Agapornes may

claim the title by right of birth, for they inherit it from their

forefathers; and although over - truthful people have rudely

shaken the popular belief that if one of a pair die the other will

follow’ suit, yet do they not exhibit their tender love and

devotion in another way ? and should we not ungrudgingly

award the title to them as the reward of merit, and as a

mark of distinction above their fellows ? With possibly only

the remarkable exception of the Grey - breasted Parrakeet

(Myopsittacus monachusj, of all the members of the Parrot

family the Agapornes alone make nests for their young, the

others laying their eggs on the bare wood, soil, or stone, and

not carrying to their nests even one single twig, straw, or feather,

to help to make their babies comfortable.


Of the seven species of the Agapornes, living specimens of

Agapornis taranta, A. fischeri, A. persofiata, and A. swindeixniana

are practically unknown to present-day aviculturists. Another,

A. pullaria, the familiar Red-faced Rove-bird, has not, I believe,

ever been known to have nested in captivity. In consideration

of the importance of the statement made by Mr. Cresswell that

he has been told that this bird and the Blue-winged Parrakeet

readily pair together, I think we are justified in inviting that

gentleman to obtain and furnish particulars of at least one well-



