HrccdUii^ HIiic Ihtdi^cni^ars fruui lUuc-hrcd (irrciis. 241 
they may, liowever, liave been yonni; birds Ijred from them. 
Durint;- 1919 tliey bred freely, and I kept some yonn.u'sters 
the others beinj;- sold as ordinary screens. 
In the si)rin!^- of 1920 I mated np ei.^ht ])airs — the oris^inal 
three and five yoim.i^ birds — with five privately imported pure 
(ireen cocks. 
During- the season 1 was impressed by the fact that all 
tlie young birds resulting- from the above showed marked bine 
in their nest feathers, and after the first moult many kept -a 
distinctly bluish breast and blue tails. I then began to think 
that I had at least considerable blue blood in the stock, though, 
of course, I was not able to apportion mathematically the 
amount in the individual birds. 
I considered -whether 1 should try and purchase one or 
two pure Blues, but did not do so. 
I wrote, however, to our member Capt. W. A. Bainbridge 
for advice, and he most kindly answ-ered my letters very fully 
and gave me valuable information. He advised me to get rid 
of the five imported Green cocks so as to leave myself with 
stock which showed definite blue or had some blue blood in 
them. He also exchanged with me three young blue-bred cocks 
for three of mine. I gather that his blue-bred birds were pro- 
duced by stock purchased from Mr. Marsden and included Blues, 
We now come to 1921, and the aviary contained: — 
One surviving pair of Mrs. Burgess's Blue-breds; 
Three pairs of my own young hens, mated to the 
Three young cocks from Capt. Bainbridge; 
Four pairs of my own young stock. 
Young'sters began to fly in March, and all showed distinct 
blue, buf I never anticipated any of the real article, and for all 
practical purposes merely regarded them as Greens: nor did I 
trouble to look in the nests regularly. 
On Whit-Saturday (May 14th) I went to the aviary, and 
preening themselves in the morning sun, were two perfect young 
Blues; from the same nest came a very light, almost white, 
yellow, and another bird of the colour I was accustomed to. 
I must own I was very pleased, but still did not think there 
was much in it. 
