Breeding of the African Grey Parrot in Captivity. 129


least troublesome part. Some members, who have obtained

consignments from abroad through the agency of an obliging but

non-avicultural friend, may sympathise with me without for¬

getting their obligation to that friend.



BREEDING OF THE AFRICAN GREY PARROT

IN CAPTIVITY IN MADEIRA.


By Mrs. Reid.


In the month of April, 1908, my hen Grey Parrot quite un¬

expectedly laid a soft egg and was very ill, but got quite well in

a few days. On the 3rd of August the pair of birds were noticed

to be feeding each other and very affectionate. I therefore began

using much lime, old mortar broken up and cuttle fish bone,

which was grated over all their food. On the 6th a nice sound

egg was laid ; on the 8th a second ; after an interval of five days

a third egg.


The hen sat steadily from the very first, only leaving the

nest for about fifteen minutes in the morning, generally bathing

then, and for another ten minutes in the evening before sunset.

The male bird fed her constantly and most regularly, and was

extremely good and devoted. O11 the 6th Sept, a chick was

hatched ; on the 7th another; and the third chick did not come

out till five days later, when I was beginning to feel sure the

third egg was bad.


For the first week the male bird did not feed the young at

all, he fed the mother continually and she transferred the food

to the chicks, but after about a week I noticed he was also

feeding them and working very hard at it. Their usual food is

Indian corn soaked for twenty-four hours, then well washed and

given to them damp; they also have hemp seed with a sprinkling

of canary and millet, and a spoonful or two of rice, tapioca, or

any other milk pudding that is going, and plenty of ripe banana,

of which they are very fond.


For the first fortnight they seemed to give the chicks no¬

thing but soft food, later they gave much hemp, some canary or

millet and ground or monkey nuts. I was sorry, however, to



