294



Correspondence , Notes, etc.



have given him pause ; but uo, as soon as he was liberated he would return

to the charge. An aviarist of twenty-six years standing I must have had

hundreds of Parrots in my time, but never had one show fight in an aviary

before. The neatest approach has been an old Rosy Cockatoo, which has

been in the aviary eighteen years, he -will on occasions, when not too lazy,

spread his wings, erect his crest, dive down his head, and scream at us when

we enter, but that is all. If this termagant were a Cockatoo his behaviour

would not be so surprising, but in a member of the stately and unemotional

Platycercus it is unaccountable.


Like the rest of his kind my Pennant is inclined to nibble his

feathers; it is remarkable that these birds, almost without exception, in¬

dulge in this dreadful habit. I have had them while at large in an aviary

(so it was not due to boredom) denude themselves of every feather within

their reach, leaving only the long flights and tail feathers, a self torture to

which they ultimately succumbed. They are so nearly allied to the

Rosella, which is not a feather eater at all, neither have been indeed any

other of the Parrot tribe I have ever possessed. What is the reason of this

shocking propensity in this' particular Parrakeet I should much like to

know.


The subject of this “ note ” amuses us very much, ami we are very

fond of him for his beauty and braver}', but when the novelty of his conduct

has worn off, and he is turned into the aviary proper, he will be nothing

short of a nuisance unless he mends his ways. We like to go in frequently

and stay long, where hitherto we have been always welcomed by the

inmates, or at least courteously received. E. A. II. HarTeey.


BREEDING OF THE HARLEQUIN QUAIL.


A hen Coticrnix delegorguei hatched off a brood of eight chicks on

June 8th. Unfortunately I was away from home the day they hatched, re¬

turning late the same evening. The following morning I found that tw r o of

them had died through having got behind a piece of wood and been unable

to get back to their mother. However, the remaining six were all right

and were driven, with their mother, into a small run, where they' have been

reared without any difficulty and are now about half-grown. As I hope, be¬

fore long, to publish some notes on this, to me, very attractive group of

birds I will say no more about them now. D. SE'i'h-SmiTh.



THE SOCIETY’S MEDAL.


It is proposed that a medal be awarded to Mr. W. R. Fasey for having

successfully bred Bourke’s Parrakeet (Neophema bourkei), it is believed for

the first time in the United Kingdom.


Any member or reader knowing of a previous instance is requested to

communicate immediately with the Honorary Business Secretary.



