TURQUOISINE. 81 



own brothers and sisters; for consanguineous marriages are to be dep- 

 recated among birds as much as among the "lords of Creation." 



Except during the breeding season these pretty birds are,, however, 

 apt to be listless and uninteresting; but as soon as the advent of 

 spring has "turned their thoughts to love", they become exceedingly 

 lively and amusing. 



In April, or May, they usually begin to evince a desire to make 

 their nest, and should then be provided with suitable hollow logs, or 

 small boxes in the bottom of which is cemented half of a cocoa-nut 

 husk, the natural concavity and softness of which afford a very com- 

 fortable nesting-place. The attention and tenderness displayed at this 

 season towards his mate by the male is touching in the extreme, for 

 he is the most exemplary of husbands, and his love-song is flute-like, 

 and not by any means unpleasing, as obtains in some members of the 

 family. 



Of course, if it be desired to achieve complete success with these 

 birds, they should be given a good-sized garden aviary to themselves, 

 where they will rear brood after brood with praiseworthy assiduity; 

 and it is better not to remove the young ones until the close of the 

 breeding-season, as they do not interfere with their parents, and their 

 presence decidedly imparts confidence to the latter, and encourages 

 them to further efforts in the direction of perpetuating the species: at 

 the same time they will breed in a mixed aviary, and even, it is as- 

 serted, in a cage; but upon the latter point we are without personal 

 experience. 



On the whole this bird can be strongly recommended to amateurs, 

 and it is to be regretted that it is so seldom to be obtained, and 

 then only at a figure that places its possession beyond the reach of 

 connoisseurs who do not chance to be possessed of a plethoric purse. 



Hybrids have been produced between this and several kindred 

 species, but are without anything to recommend them to the notice of 

 aviarists, as they are, of course, sterile, and present in appearance a 

 somewhat confused jumble of the colours and shape of their ill-assorted 

 parents: we have no liking for hybrids of any kind, for we are of 

 opinion that we cannot improve upon the works of Nature, or rather 

 Nature's God, who has, indeed, made all things well. 



There is no doubt that birds of all kinds are happier in a large 

 well-furnished aviary than in a cage, however spacious the latter may 

 be; and if the former be placed out of doors, in such a position that 

 it can receive the first rays of the morning sun, so much the better 

 for the health and comfort of the inmates: if the ground of the open 

 portion be well turfed it is even possible in many instances to keep 

 i. G 



