THE



3 : 7



Hxucultural ^agasme,


BEING THE JOURNAL OF THE


AVICULTURAL SOCI ETY.



New Series —VOL. VI. — No. 12. — All rights reserved. OCTOBER, 1908.



THE BLACK-CHEEKED LOVEBIRD.


Agapornis nigrigenis.


It seems to me that some of our Museum friends, who

bestow upon our birds their high faluting titles, are sometimes

colour-blind.


The beautiful Love-bird which is figured in this number is

no more black -cheeked than I am !


The cheeks are a very deep brown, perhaps the colour of

the woodwork in an old Swiss Chalet, but most certainly not

black.


The forehead and crown of the head is dark maroon-

cliestuut, and the cheeks may be described as a deep and burnt

addition of that, just as old oak is deeper than newer wood.


The female is to be distinguished from the male by her

lighter-coloured eye,* her smaller head, and her less brilliant

colouring, more especially in the frontal patch of apricot; but one

must look closely to see the differences.


I have had no chance of breeding these birds, because I

have kept them in a small cage for the benefit of the Society ! A

very noble sacrifice on my part ! The artist could not have very

well painted their picture, had I not done so. However it is a

pleasure to know that one of our most enthusiastic and pains¬

taking members has successfully bred them.


I believe that Mr. Phillipps and I are as yet the only

possessors of these beautiful little parrots. To him I leave the

reading of the second lesson.


Hubert D. Asteey.



.See Mr. Phillipps’ notes on the colour of the eyes, p. 320 .—Ed.



