78 Tlie Breeding of the Siloer- cared Mesia. 
jimoiigst the many branches would eventually reach " home," 
deposit the food, and quickly rise with a smart note of triumph 
to go on a further search for prey. On May 21st, when five 
days old, the young were entirely without down, but had ,the 
pen feathers on the wings just visible. The following day, 
sad to relate, one of the youngsters was found dead in the 
nest. May 2Gth, the tenth day, finds the young fully fledged 
on wings, and breast, the feathers being of a dark slaty -grey. 
On May 29th, the remaining two left the nest. A glorious 
event, to be marred by a catasti'ophe, better explained by 
the following extract from my diary recording this fact: 
" Just niy luck. Yesterday, both young Mesias left the nest, but, 
with Avhat, aiipears to be a fatality attaching to aviculture. 
During the night there occui-red a most severe thunderstorm 
and I found one young Mcna dead, wedged between the forks 
of the Laurel bush, as though it had fallen through fright." 
The body of this poor little chap I jjosted to our esteemed 
Editor, arul this editorial appears in " Bird Notes," Vol. II., 
N.S., No. G, June, 1911. 
" Crown black, forehead, chin, throat, neck, 
breast and sides of body, grey; middle of al)domen and 
vent, white; ear-coverts, hoary white; back and wings, 
dark grey suffused with olive green; margins of outer webs 
of quills pale olive green, tail feathers olive green above, 
rusty brown beneath; bill, upper mandible, blackish horn 
colour, lower, greenish horn colour; legs and feet pinkish 
flesh colour." 
Just one wee mite left. The visions so eagerly indulged in 
of being the first to rear this species in captivity became 
very dim. I was helpless to render aid, and extremely hope- 
less, so could simply await results. The young bird was a 
bonny little fellow, healthy, in tine condition, and fully plum- 
aged. The parent birds were very attentive, persistently 
following its every movement, and for a time all appeared to 
be going well. It was most amusing to watch the antics of 
the parent birds, should I approach too near their baby, and 
especially if I were daring enough to touch it. There was 
terrible excitement, they tiy mostly around me, uttering fear- 
ful screeches, frantically dashing very close to my face, until 
I began to wonder if they meant serious business. This state 
