264



Notes on my Birds.



but neither lie nor “ Bridget” are entirely to be trusted, and even

a pinch on your finger from one of them is no joke, but it is only

fair to them to say they have never really bitten me. The

Senegal Parrot is a very pretty little bird, being bright light

emerald green, with very clear orange breast and a grey head

and yellow eyes. One great drawback to Senegals is their des¬

tructiveness to woodwork. Their beaks are so strong that they

will soon ruin any aviary, and even putting special blocks of

soft wood for them to gnaw at will not cure them of biting

where they should not.


I have just had a pair of most beautiful Barraband Parra-

keets very kindly given to me by a friend. I had never kept

this parrakeet before, and am charmed with their gentle ways

and graceful shape. “ Madame,” the hen, is green with beautiful

salmon rose under feathers in her long tail, and soft blush of

pink and blue mingling-with the greeu on her face. “ Monsieur”

is much more gorgeous, he is a very vivid green with bright

yellow on the forehead and throat and broad band of rich scarlet

running round the latter in front. Both birds are getting tamer

(I have not had them a week yet) but the cock is the shyer of

the two.


I have just one more little aviary and flight, but this is

only occupied by several Dwarf or Ruddy Turtles and their

three young ones. This very pretty little Indian Dove is not

common in England, and the hen being hardly ever imported is

decidedly rare. This is a tiny dove (rather smaller than a

Senegal) and the colour of the cock is brick red, with a soft blue

grey head and broad black collar round the back of the neck.

The hen is quite distinct from the cock in colour being dun-

brown with a black collar. The young ones are just the colour

of the hen until some months old. I find these little doves one

of the easiest of their kind to breed, though they are very shy

and must, when nesting, be let severely alone.


A year or two ago there appeared to be none bred in

England (though they had been bred years ago) for the hens

were almost unknown, but I am gradually raising a stock of them

again and hope they will be re-established. They are such

beautiful little birds I think every dove lover should keep them,



