Mrs. M. A. Burgess—Breeding the Black-capped Lory 117


I had a small side aviary built for them in my bird-room, as the cock

was growing too savage to be left in the other aviary. The nesting-

box was very large and heavy, and for safety I placed it on the floor

just for the pair to sleep in, which they always did.


On 2nd April of the present year I saw an egg just outside the box,

so I placed it inside, but the hen did not seem to sit, and I thought they

had destroyed it. On 4th May I saw another egg, and from that date

the hen sat firmly, only coming off for food. Meanwhile, the cock

defended the box and at times he was so savage that it was hardly

safe to place food into the cage. He always slept in the box. He con¬

tinued to take his bath as usual; they are great bathers, not just tossing

the water over themselves, but rolling over and over in it until they

look drowned, and this takes place twice a day.


On 8th June a young bird was seen which was judged to be about

ten days old, it was covered with down of a golden colour, and looked

about the size of a day-old chicken. On 28th June another baby was

seen ; in fact, we saw the two together, and I think there is a third, as

a third egg was seen on 8th June by the side of the first chick, and the

shell of this was thrown out on 23rd June. The hen is hardly ever out

of the box, although she now comes out to bathe again, and, strange to

say, she is as perfect in feather as she was on the day she was shown at

Newport, in spite of the fact that she has been sitting and rearing a

brood. They now eat quite double the quantity of food that they did

when they only had themselves to sustain, soft food and fruit being

all that they take.


On the evening of 2nd July one baby came out of the box as I

passed, and it was the funniest mite. On the head was a clearly marked

black-cap, and the half-grown wing-feathers were brownish or greenish,

I could hardly say which. The breast feathers were like quills, but there

were no bright colours visible. The beak looked strong, and the little

fellow used quite strong language at me and appeared to have a temper

like that of his father. He was not beautiful, but sturdy and about the

size of my White-rumped Lory. I do not know whether its parents or

myself are most proud of this achievement. I should say the young

bird is about two months old.


On the morning of 28th July the bird came out again, a big,



