My Biids and their Doings. 
195 
strong on the wing and foraging for lliemselves. Their 
respective parents are again busily engaged in the duties of 
incubation. 
An uncommon Hybrid. Two young have been reared 
from what I l)elieve to be a St. Helena Seedeater (?) and a Saffron 
Finch The young Ijird is of a greenish-brown colour, much 
lighter on the breast. 
Black-cheeked Lovebirds (Agapornis ?iigrioenis). These 
have proved a failure with me this season ; their last attempt 
culminating in my finding the young scalped in the nest when 
fully fledged. There are no other birds in the aviary capable of 
performing such an act, so their parents must be the culprits. 
They seem inclii'.ed to go to nest again. 
Crested Pigeon (Ocjp/taps lophotes). One more young 
is ou the wing {see plate'); the second egg being accidently 
knocked out of the nest. It is really surprising that this mishap 
is not of more frequent occurrence, as all the nests of foreign 
doves are ridiculously small and fragile, and it is really marvel- 
lous that they last till the young are reared. 
Green Amaduvades {Stictospiza fo77?iosa). These have 
built and are busily engaged in incubation, the eggs are due to 
hatch shortly. The hen has been in heavy moult while in- 
cubating. 
Parrakeets and Lokies. Success has been almost nil 
with these birds. My Purple Caps have laid quite a number of 
eggs, but generally end hy making a meal of the eggs. I have 
placed one of their eggs under a Cockateel, but have not yet 
examined it to see if it is fertile. [I fear there is little prospect 
of a seed-eating species rearing one of the pollen feeders. — Ed.] 
A RECENT Acquisition. A pair of Uvcean Parrakeets* 
* The Hon. and Rev. Canon Dutton ha.s kept thi.s species, witli but I 
think poor success. Will }ie kindly oblige us with his experience.^ Per- 
sonallj-, I do not consider the milk sop should be permanent, though it may 
be useful to get them established. I certainly class them with the seed- 
eating group and would supply ripe fruit and green food liberally, 
testing their tastes thoroughly till I discovered what they really fancied in 
this respect. A piece of sugar cane for them to chew up would, I believe, be 
much appreciated ; at least it is by almost every species I have supplied it 
to.— Ed. 
