40



Correspondence.



and have also a troop of young from a Venezuelan cock and Californian hen. I

believe that this is the first time they have been bred in England. These have

been entirely raised by the parents, the cock in both instances doing most of the

mothering. The hybrids look like making exceedingly handsome birds.


I thought that you might be interested to hear this.


Wm. Shore Baily.



EARLY IMPORTATION OF THE RUFFED LORY.


The following letter, received by Mr. SETH-SMITH is of considerable

interest as it shows that the Ruffed Lory (Calliptilus solitarius) of Fiji, was

actually brought alive to this country forty years ago. Dr. Bahr, it will be

remembered, brought a pair of these most beautiful, though decidedly delicate,

parrots home in 1911, ( Avic. Mag., December 1911), which were believed to be

the first imported. A description of the birds was appended to the following

letter, and leaves no doubt as to the identity of the species.


“DEAR Sir,—N oticing under the heading “Birds at the Zoo” in the

Morning Post of Sept. 10th, mention of the Parrot Finches of Fiji, I am

interested to know if they are of the same family as the little friends I suc¬

ceeded in bringing from Fiji round Cape Horn alive to England, when Com¬

mander of H.M.S. “Clio” 40 years ago, being kept alive during their long

voyage of some 15,000 miles by being housed in a cage protected by glass and

warmed by hot-water bottles and ordinary night-lights ; their food consisting

of condensed milk and honey.


At the time to which I refer these birds were considered so rare that the

Curator of the Sydney Gardens, N.S.W. did not even possess a pair and

entreated me, instead of venturing on the attempt to take them all the way to

England, to leave them in Australia. But I had visions of being able to

execute the work taken in hand of conveying them home, and, possibly, one

day seeing them ensconced in the Zoological Gardens ; and, although I was

successful as to the first, fate decreed disappointment as to the latter. One

little bird succumbing during a snow-storm as the anchor was let go at Spit-

head, and its companion shortly afterwards, by injury, received during my

absence from home.


I have had many pets in my time. Humming Birds in the West Indies,

Love Birds and Mousedeer in the Straits of Malacca, &c., but I consider the

Fiji Parrakeets far away the most interesting. They were devotedly attached

to one another and, if separated but for a moment, would screech till again

together. This was particularly noticeable and amusing when occupying their

sleeping chamber—a cocoanut shell suspended from top of their cage.


T. K. Hudson, Capt. R.N.”



