133


but likely enough he had a siezure, and his condition invited a

tap from the Blue Pie’s beak. I am the more supposed to think

that the bird may have had a fit from a very similar case which

has recently occurred in my bird-room whilst a female Parrakeet

was laying. The latter was a strong robust bird full of health

and strength, but her mate, like the Love-bird, was an old, long-

caged, well-exhibited specimen ; and a sudden seizure carried

him off before I knew he was ill.


On missing her husband, the Love-bird made two or three

wild flies around, calling loudly for him ; and then she returned

to her nesting-place, where she stayed for some forty-eight

hours. She forsook the nest after this, and came into the

garden looking queer ; and not long afterwards I found she was

paralysed. With careful nursing she came round, and, after the

lapse of some weeks, became as strong as ever, saving only that

she never recovered the use of about two toes of one foot. But

thenceforth she was a regular vixen, attacking, and sometimes

breaking the leg of any bird that approached her nesting-

place, of which she once more took possession, and to which

she occasionally carried pieces of bark. She lost no time in

vain regrets or outward demonstrations of sorrow. She wanted

a husband, and was perpetually calling and looking out for one..

She had become like the fat cook in Punch who gave up her

place in order to be married ; “ not that she was exactly engaged,,

but she felt that amiable that she could fall in love with

any man.” For a time she kept company with a Red-faced Love¬

bird ; but he was not of much account, and she gave him up as

hopeless before many weeks had passed.


Mr. Castellan, at p. 41, writes that “Love-birds take

possession of the nests of other birds, such as Weavers, for their

own use,” and mentions statements of others that “ they line

their nests with twigs, bits of straw and bark, etc., which the

hens carry up to their nest-boxes by putting them between the

feathers of their rump.” Unfortunately he does not tell us

which species of Love-bird takes possession of the nests of

other birds, such as Weavers, in their natural state. I find it

somewhat hard to believe that the Rosy-face does so. The

references to the twigs and straw apply to the Love-bird in

captivity; but even so a Love-bird who lined, her nest with twigs

would soon have broken eggs; and twigs could hardly be

carried to the nest-boxes between the feathers, or otherwise

than in the beak.


I notice that in the “ Royal Natural History,” at p. 129

of Vol. IV. the following words appear in connedtiou with this



