38



On the Yellow Budgerigar .



and peep inside, but farther than that I never ventured. I do

not even know whether all Budgerigars will submit thus far, but

mine know me well and look upon me as a ‘ necessary evil ’ !


When the young are aboard there must be a constant

supply of green food—ripe groundsel and flowering grass, the

latter for preference. I believe that with all Parrakeets (and I

have bred as many as most people) this is a sine qua ?io?i when

there are youngsters.


It is a very funny sight to see the feeding. For about

five days the hen does everything, and woe betide the gentleman

Budgerigar if he ventures near the nest. I notice that for some

days after a hatch Master B., like Agag, ‘ goes delicately,’ and

often departs with a flea in his ear.


After a week the lady thinks better of her conduct, and

seems to realize, with the usual inconsequence of the sex, that

the gentleman is perhaps a ‘ necessary evil.’ She evidently

informs him that there are babies in the husk and asks him why

he is idling around instead of attending to his duties and feeding

his family? Like a wise married man, the poor fellow says

nothing, but pops down to the seed-tray and begins to eat as if

there were no hereafter. Farly and late he visits the nest, but

his labours are never done. Like the daughters of the horse

leech, those youngsters ever cry ‘ More ! more ! ’ For three

weeks he seems to spend most of his days apparently standing

on his head in the husk. I conclude he is feeding, by the

issuing sounds, but it seems a parlous proceeding to a mere

human. At last there comes a morning when No. i emerges

from the nest. Proud and happy are the fond parents as they

ply him with dainties. At intervals of a few days the other

little beauties come forth to be admired. Their color is faint

primrose. In the last nest there were three. *



* Since the above was written I have four more nearly ready to leave the nest.—C. D. F.



