72 -BUD-WINGED PABBAKEET. 



his wings, and from his father by the absence of the black back; 

 the young female is not depicted, but is said to resemble her mother. 



There is no record of this species having been bred in confinement, 

 although an aviarist in Germany had a solitary female that laid eggs : 

 which would tend to prove that the achievement is not impossible. 



The food of this species is the same that we have already recom- 

 mended for the Cockatiel, and in addition a bough of lime tree, or 

 poplar, or elm, covered with buds, may be given it to peck at, an 

 inexpensive indulgence that will be much appreciated by the Red-wing, 

 as well as some stale sponge-cake, and a few mealworms, now and 

 J}hen. 



Mr. Wiener's experience with these birds is, on the whole, favourable. 

 "The Red-winged or Crimson-winged Parrakeet", he writes, "is a 

 timid, rare, and very beautiful bird, well adapted for cage life. Though 

 the Crimson-wing may not learn to talk, neither will he scream; and 

 his gentle manners, together with his brilliant plumage, will recommend 

 him as a pet." 



This author, nevertheless, proceeds to relate that two of these birds 

 could fight so bitterly, when placed together in the same cage, that 

 their speedy separation became imperative, in order to prevent the 

 destruction of one, if not of both the combatants, and that although 

 they were a genuine pair, which a subsequent owner succeeded, by a 

 simple expedient, in reconciling so effectually that the birds mated. 



"A few drops of aniseed oil", relates Mr. Wiener, "were spread on 

 the plumage of the Blood-wing hen, and the effect was beyond all 

 expectation, for instead of quarrelling and biting, the birds at once 

 displayed great affection for each other, and there is every prospect 

 of a brood resulting.-'-' 



Whether this prospect was realised or not, we do not know: but 

 we are inclined to adopt the negative view; for had the birds really 

 reared a brood of young ones, we should doubtless have seen the success 

 chronicled in some of the "Bird papers" with which we are acquainted, 

 one or other of which is almost certain to get hold of a piece of im- 

 portant news, such as an account of the breeding of Red-wings in 

 captivity would be. 



Mr. Cedney, from whom we have already largely quoted, also speaks 

 in the most favourable terms of these handsome birds: "I can", he 

 writes, "specially recommend them as cage pets on account of their 

 great beauty and quiet nature." 



They can, nevertheless, as we have seen from Mr. Wiener's account 

 of the specimens he possessed, fight bitterly at times, so that it is 

 scarcely wise to draw general conclusions from one's experience with 



