24



Mr. F. E. Blaauw,



globe. Chacun a son gout! There may be those who would prefer

that monstrous mammal to a Red-headed Titmouse as a pet.


If these tiny birds could recover the disadvantages of a voyage

to England, I see no reason why they should not be easily kept, so

long as in addition to a good artificial insectivorous mixture, they

were supplied with fresh ants’ ‘ eggs,’ flies, and other insects, in

season.


Every aviculturist has his list of departed over which he sighs,

but on mine there is no name written which I more deeply regret

than that of the Red-headed Titmouse.



BREEDING OF THE LONG-BILLED

PARRAKEET.


Henicognathus leptorhynchus.


By E. E. Blaauw, C.M.Z.S.


When I visited Chili in March, 1911, I, for the first time,

made the acquaintance of this interesting and little known parrot.


I was riding between Osorno and Puerto Octay, on the lake

of Llanquihue, a distance of some sixty kilometres, and was tra¬

versing a large w T ood consisting of mixed trees, amongst which the

Southern beech largely preponderated. I had been admiring various

birds, which were busy along the side of the road, when my attention

was attracted by shrill screams from birds with pointed tails and

wings, that were flying in small parties high over the forest trees.

Of course I knew at once that they must be parrakeets, but at first

I did not realise to which species they belonged. Then some birds

by flying not quite so high, or by moving in their flight so that the

light fell more fully on them, showed themselves to be green with

red tails, and then I knew what they were.


As I rode on, the little flights of these birds became more

and more numerous, and for a long time they were quite a feature

in the landscape. As I passed a cottage I saw in front of it, sitting

on a pile of wood, one of those parrakeets with stunted wings and

tail, looking the picture of misery.


Puerto Octay—which I reached in the evening by a beautiful



