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behaviour during the latter period was so conspicuously different

from their behaviour while caged that I may well divide the

remainder of this paper into two parts.


I.—The Nesting oe the Rosy-faces in Captivity.


In the cage already alluded to, there was but one nesting-

place, a log-nest placed on its side but slightly slanting upwards.

The Rosy-faces very soon commenced nesting; all the fore-part

of the log was strewn with bits of hay, straw, etc., but at the

extreme end there was a very nice little nest, lined with pieces of

hay and bark which had been chawed up by the female until

exceedingly soft and pleasant to the touch. The female (never

the male) carried up the materials for the nest among the feathers

of her thighs, and lower back or upper tail-coverts, but as often

as not in her beak. And it is, I think, only when in captivity that

these birds make use of various strange nesting materials, and

carry much, or even any, of it to their nesting places in their

mouths. During the closing winter and early spring, over one

dozen eggs were laid at various times, but were destroyed by the

male; possibly the female may have lent a helping hand, but I

had not any proof that she did. They did not throw much energy

or zeal into their work, neither did they betray any signs of un¬

easiness on the approach of anyone ; beyond being a little more

spiteful than usual towards some birds in other cages, they

behaved much as usual; in short, they nested in that half-hearted

way that birds in captivity often do.


Even when caged, the female preferred bark to any other

nesting material, hay and straw cut up into short lengths coming

next; but on these failing she would take strips off the perches,

or almost anything that came in her way. When she had not

any boughs to peel, her delight was to squat herself down in the

midst of a tump of hay, and chaw away at it for nest-lining.


I cannot say whether the eggs laid at this time were fertile

or otherwise.


II.


The Nesting of the Rosy-faces in their Naturae State.


Whilst flying about loose in the garden, these birds seemed

to be perfectly at home, and to behave so naturally that I have

ventured to adopt a rather bold heading for this section of my

paper. Neither in bird-room nor garden did the Rosy-faces

associate with any of the other birds, but kept to themselves, and

seemed supremely happy in their own company. The female, at

any rate, in season and out of season, seemed to be filled with



