130 ROSY-FACED LOVE-BIRD. 



in breeding these rare birds is given in Dr. Buss's Fremdlandischen 

 Stubenvogel, but • is too long for reproduction here. 



When referring to the next species to be considered in these pages, 

 we will give directions for treatment, which in all three species is 

 exactly alike. 



Exigencies of space compel us to defer until a future occasion the 

 consideration of several other members of this sub-family of the Psit- 

 tacidce, which are, all, more at home in a good-sized, aviary, where 

 they have room to exercise their wings, and logs on which to whet 

 their beaks, than in cages, where they mope and doze, and before 

 dying of inanition, present for months a woeful spectacle of hopeless- 

 ness and despair. 



We may here repeat our protest against aviary-cages, in which 

 beginning amateurs are so apt to crowd a number of birds of all sorts 

 and sizes, quite irrespective of the habits and dispositions of the various 

 species, thrust nolens, volens, into each other's society, with the in- 

 evitable result of disaster and death to the greater number in the 

 course of a few weeks or, at latest, months. 



Let your birds have plenty of room; or, if your space is restricted, 

 limit the number of your birds : it is better to have two or three 

 healthy handsome specimens, than a crowd of half-nude, miserable- 

 looking captives. 



The following interesting account of this species from Dr. Brehm's 

 Animal Life, has been translated by Mrs. Oassirer, of Paris, expressly 

 for the present work: — 



"South-west Africa is the habitat of this species, especially Angola, 

 Damara, Caffer and Namaqua Land; but, according to Kirk, it is also 

 to be met with in the South-east, chiefly in the Zambesi district. To 

 the best of my knowledge Andersson is the only traveller who has 

 described the habits of these birds when at liberty. He says: This 

 pretty little Parrot is to be met with all over Damara and Great 

 Namaqua Land, it is also found in Owakango and near Lake Ngami, 

 but always in small flocks, and never very far from water. At least 

 once a day they resort to the water springs. The Peach-face has an 

 unusually rapid flight; the small flocks fly by, swift as an arrow, on 

 their way to their feeding or drinking places, yet rarely traverse great 

 distances in a single flight. While flying, or when suddenly alarmed, 

 they utter a series of shrill cries. Their food consists of berries, aud 

 large berry-like seeds. They do not build a nest for themselves, but 

 take possession of those of other birds, especially those of the Siedel 

 Sparrow and Mahali Weaver Birds. I am unable to say whether they 

 drive out the owners, or only take such as have already been aban- 



