98


Turquoisines and Elegants have been so much in demand

lately that, like some mining shares, you might almost say there

has been a “ boom” in them. But it is not surprising when one

knows the birds, for they are the most fascinating of all the

Australian Parralceets that are known to aviculturists in this

country. They, like the Pennant and Mealy Rosella, will not

nest so readily unless given an aviary to themselves, although I

have reared two broods of Turquoisines and one brood of

Elegants in my large aviary, tenanted by nearly fifty other birds.

Still, I consider this an exceptional experience and one I could

not repeat with any other birds, because these two pairs were

very tame, and then, again, they had a very quiet corner all to

themselves in which I hung their nesting logs, which were

entirely hidden by heather. Given aviaries to themselves, these

Parrakeets are no trouble to the aviarist, and, although not so

prolific as one could wish, considering their desirability as pets,

the}^ will rear at least one brood regularly each year. These little

Parrakeets require a quantity of green stuff, and if they can be

turned into an aviary where there is a nice lawn they will do all

the better. I never give mine any addition to their seed diet,

•except a soft biscuit each day when they have young. Although

•several of my Turquoisines and Elegants have wintered out of

doors, I am never going to repeat the experiment, as I lost three

last winter but one, during the severe frost, and it is evident

they are not quite as hardy as other Australian Parrakeets.

Turquoisines and Elegants sit about eighteen days, and the

3 ? oung appear in about twenty-eight days. They seem to be

subject to no adverse influences when once fledged, and rapidly

reach maturity.


I should mention that all the Platycerci that I have ever

kept were very fond of mealworms, and I alwaj’s give them a

•daily supply during the early days of nesting, but discontinue

them when the hen disappears and commences to sit. Fruit in

season my birds always have, grit should always be supplied and

plenty of green food, but if you have grass in the aviary this is

generally sufficient.


These notes, which I must now close, are necessarily very

incomplete, as I am writing against time; some time, perhaps, if

no one more capable takes up the subject, I may go into the matter

•of breeding Parrakeets more fully, and describe my ideal

Parrakeet aviary.



