358



The Marquis of Tavistock,



almost invariably fall victims to Owls before they have time to

establish themselves. They stay remarkably well when released in

pairs, but directly a cock or hen is lost its mate will invariably g'o

clean away within two or three days if a substitute is not provided.

Redrumps are very dependent on artificial feeding and unlike many

of the true Platycerci starve directly their supply of seed is beyond

their reach. They may either be turned out with cut wings or if a

pair in breeding condition are obtained, the cock may he released

full-winged and his mate (who must be kept within sight and hearing)

allowed to join him after a few days. Adult Redrumps fight savagely

with members of their own and nearly allied species. They are

highly susceptible to septic fever.


Many-coloured Parrakeet (. Psephotus multicolor). Like

the Redrump, able to stand cold when properly hardened off. Old

writers describe this bird as a hopeless one to keep on account of

its liability to die suddenly and without apparent reason from

cerebral haemorrhage. There is no doubt that Many-colours do

sometimes succumb to this ailment on very insufficient provocation,

but they certainly do not do so to such an extent that anyone need

be deterred from trying them. They are however given to developing

septic fever in the most inexplicable fashion and the greatest care

must be taken to safeguard them from possible infection. Like

Redrumps they are very quarrelsome.


Hooded Parrakeet (. Psepliotus cucullatus). — This beau¬

tiful bird has been described as very sensitive to cold, but I have

found that, provided it is well protected from draughts and cold

winds, it is by no means impossible to winter it without artificial

heat. It is, however, fatal to allow it to nest at a low temperature

as the hens are very subject to egg-binding and many are lost from

this cause. On leaving the nest the young of both sexes resemble

the female in their sober coloration, though the young cocks always

show a trace more blue on the cheeks and breast. Adult plumage is

assumed during the course of the first moult when the birds are

about ten months old. Hooded Parrakeets are not quite so

susceptible to septic fever as are their near relatives. Psephotus

chrysopterygius, the Golden-shouldered Parrakeet, described by Gould,

appears to differ from the Hooded in the presence in the adult male



