162



Dr. L. Lovell-Keays,



The Shelduck is a link between the ducks and the geese, and

the handsome New Zealand Shelduck has a very goose-like appear¬

ance.



A NOTE ON SEXING BLACK-CHEEKED

LOVE-BIRDS.


By Dr. L. Lovell-Keays.


I thought perhaps the following notes might be of interest to

readers of the Avicultural Magazine, as showing the great difficulty

in sexing these beautiful little parrots.


I had two pairs of these birds: one in an outdoor quite

unprotected aviary, and the other, a more recent addition, in my

new covered shelter flight. The former I got from Mr. Fockelmann

in June, 1913, and they very soon went to nest. The birds were

as like as two peas, but the cock (?) was a shade larger and the beak

a little fuller. I could detect little or no difference in colouration

or the size of the white circumorbital ring. The first clutch of eggs

proved infertile, and I came to the conclusion I had two hens.

However, no sooner had I come to this conclusion and advertised

for a cock than to my joy I found them pairing one day. This was

the first occasion I had noticed any amativeness on the part of

either bird. However, I had noticed that only one bird carried

nesting material, and the whole time this bird sat, the other (which

of course subsequently proved to be the cock) took no notice of his

persevering wife. The hen bird carried nesting material in her beak.

My Madagascar Love-birds appeared to carry nesting material under

the wing and tucked very closely in the rump feathers.


For weeks nothing happened with the second clutch, and as

later the hen left the nest fairly frequently I took the nesting barrel

down, but could see no sign of life, nor did I ever hear young birds.

However, the hen bird so frequently visited the shelter that I felt

convinced there was something there, and later on I again took the

nesting barrel down and saw three young birds fully fledged.

Whether the cock fed the young I cannot say; the two birds

are so exactly alike that no casual observer could tell them apart,

and it is only when sitting next each other I can tell them even



