Stray Notes.



239



white man before. I watched the proceedings with close interest.

Slowly, very slowly, the black figure was lowered over the

sloping edge of the tiny platform : then there was a deadly

pause. The two feet felt the air and pawed at the cliff,

vainly seeking a crevice. I thought nothing could save

him—that he was bound to fall—but presently one of his toes

found a resting place and he was able to relieve the precarious

hold he had had with his hands. The worst was now passed and

the fellow was soon by my side in the water.


“I would’en go up dere again fur ten t’ousand dollars—

no, I would’en ; dat’s de solemn truth,” he cried. “ I jus’ hel’ on

by one finger in a li’l bit of a crack. I pray to de Lord de crack

may hoi’. De crack did liol’ ; udderwise I’m done fur.” And all

the way home he kept reiterating, “ No, Sar, not fur ten t’ousand

dollars,” and, honestly, I think it would have been cheap at that!

Personally a King’s ransom would not have tempted me back.



STRAY NOTES.



A solitary female Eclectus belonging to Sir William Ingram laid an

egg in lier cage and proceeded to incubate it steadily. It was removed and

a bantam’s egg put in its place which was duly hatched out by the

Eclectus.



The Rev. Hubert Astley writes from his villa in Italy, “ On my return

here the other day, I noticed that the hen Spathopterus alexandrce was

hardly ever to be seen about the aviary, so I cautiously opened the doors of

some nesting - boxes and discovered her in one of these, sitting on five

beautiful eggs, about the size of those of a Barbary Dove. She seems to be

an excellent mother, and if, when she is hastily snatching a well-earned

meal, she sees any bird perch near the entrance hole to her nest, she is up

and back to the eggs at once.” We are sure all members will wish Mr.

Astley every success with the beautiful Queen Alexandra Parralteet.


We have never seen, to our recollection, or even heard of a hybrid

between the Many-coloured and Redrump Parrakeets, though such closely-

allied forms should cross without much difficulty. It had often occurred to

the present writer to try and obtain the cross, but he has never done so.

However, Mr. Astlej^ appears to be 011 the right road to success in this

direction for he writes that he has a male Psephotus multicolor paired to a

female P. hcematonotus. “The Many - colour,” he says, “is frantically



