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Indian Birds. 
Bright Green Parrots flash in the sun, 
Almost before the day has begun, 
And winging their way in steady flight. 
We see them wending back at night. 
Creeping into a crack when they get liome 
Bright jewels on opal of marble dome. 
Great courts echoing to their cries, 
Where kings have lived, an ! a dynasty dies. 
Minah walking with hurried strut, 
With very flat feet in a dusty rut, 
Sitting on tent— rope at break of day. 
Whistling and creaking his morning lay. 
One minute cheery, and full of fun. 
Then frenzy and fury and battle begun, 
Then stealing for nesting paper or hay. 
Why, Minahs, you change like an April day. 
On verandah steps, full of talk and chat, 
Some birds are. inspecting my old door-mat. 
The Seven-sisters, dull and brown. 
Like a lot of old maids from a country town.. , 
Always fussing about in a crowd, \ 
Of their family likeness rather proud. 
Yes, Green Barbet, I have listened long. 
To the throbbing cry, that you think a song 
It's quite without feeling, happy or sad, 
And in the hot weather it drives men mad. 
Then the horrible Kite birds, yellow and white, 
Who walk on the roof in the silent night. 
Rustling their feathers, and giving a croak, 
As over a bone they fight and choke. 
Well. Indian Birds, good-bye to you, 
I say farewell, with a sigh to you, 
And if India again I no more see. 
Your memory will always stay with me. 
MARGARET NOEL. 
^ 
Correspondence. 
BREEDING OF RED-COLL.ARED LORIKEETS. 
1 1 riclwi^losius rubritorques). 
Sir,— I think you may be interested to hear that at last I have 
been successful in breeding and rearing a young Red-collared Lorikeet. 
When I came here from Edinburgh in the beginning of April, a.s I 
usually do, I brought all my birds to their summer quarters, and, as the 
pair of Lorikeets had seemed anxious to nest before [ took them out of 
their large cage in Edinburgh, 1 put th^'iu in one of the compartments 
