Mr. Hubert D. Asteey,



156



Why should the colour around the beak of this species be

so dark, so different from the brilliant colouring of the faces of

so many of the genus? The Masked Lovebird ( A. pet sonata) is

the only one like it in this respect, as far as I know, Fond as it

is of trees, it is also very fond of the ground. Sometimes my

flock of Black Cheeks will have disappeared, no trace of so much

as one of them in house or garden. Whither have they gone?

Then I become aware that the grass is being agitated by some¬

thing other than the wind, and I find that the whole lot of them

are grubbing about under the grass, as a mole may be seen to do

if you are clever enough to catch him at it, sprouting seeds, etc.,

not insects, however, being the probable attraction. And even

now that winter is here and the garden so bare, they may often

be seen spread over the ground like a flock of Larks searching

for food or some aid to digestion. If their faces were bright,

the colour would become dimmed or marred ; consequently

Nature has painted them so as to suit their mode of life'. Even

cutting and carrying sticks is apt to soil the hands. Some

hypercritics may say that I have put the cart before the horse!

Well, we will not spend time, like our friend in the hollow tree,

debating in our minds which came first, the egg or the mother

Owl. It has all been most beautifully and suitably arranged ;

and our little friends the Black Cheeks, notwithstanding their

habits, always look clean, and trim, and tidy. Moreover, not

infrequently I see them tubbing in the ordinary washing saucers

on the ground, so no wonder their faces are sweet, and smiling,

and lovable.



THE HARDIHOOD OF GARDENER BOWER

BIRDS, ETC.


By Hubert D. Astley, M.A., F.Z.S.


During those dreadful days of fog and biting frost in the

last week in January, when the wind was in the east, and all was

damp and drear, my two Gardener Bower Birds proved their hardi¬

ness. One remained out of doors, with the thermometer 2i v , and

the other kept in the roosting house with the window open,

where the temperature was only 36° because the hot air pipes are



