Further Notes o?i the Blue Wren.



233



such an increase of pigment or colouring matter of some kind

in the system, at any rate on this first spring, this approachment

to maturity, as not only to give colour to the new feathers but

also to shade the under-front feathers in advance, to darken the

tail and blacken the bill.


The old male moulted in the autumn of 1902, and then

immediately recommenced to come into colour—although autumn

here it was the Australian spring. He got completely mixed as

regards the seasons, the strain was too great for his frail little

body, and he died on October 27. The young male, hatched in

July, 1902, was in this connection a regular Britisher, moulting

and renioulting true to the British seasons.


In 1903, the summer plumage of the young male was not

so brilliant as that of his father had been, presumably 011 account

of his youth, for it is stated that“ The perfect wedding dress


of the male bird.can be seen only in his third year ”


(Nests and Eggs, p„ 167). Probably, also, it was owing to his

youth that there was 110 actual breeding during 1903. In 1904

and 1905 the plumage was faultless, a light silvery blue, so

brilliant that, in shade or gloom, his whereabouts in the garden

aviary could almost always be detected. This year the blue

seemed to lack much of the silvery glint which had been so

great an attraction.


The Spinster Aunt, who during 1902 so constantly squeezed

through the wire and played truant (O.S. VIII., pp. 247-8), be¬

haved nearly as badly the following summer, and was killed by

1113^ neighbour’s cat on June 7. She had full powers of flight,

and could easily have saved herself had she but used her wings ;

but when in danger these birds do not trust to their small wings

and comparatively feeble powers of flight, but to their legs.

They do not run but hop and bound, and can scuttle along at a

great rate, and make for the nearest bush or thicket, into which

they will glide like mice and hide in any hole or shelter.


The mother was found dead in her six-foot winter cage

on the morning of 20 January, 1904, having been apparently

frightened in the dark by a Mesia which I had found looking bad

late on the previous evening and had hurriedly placed in the cage,

and which I think had a fit during the night.



