80 
TUBQUOISINH. 
bird, wMcb not only by its handsome plnmage, but its grace and 
amiability occupies a high position among the diversified inmates of 
the bird-room.) 
Mr. Wiener says the Turquoisine is '^lively and interesting but 
does not allude to its disposition, from which omission we may at least 
conclude that he did not find it hurtful to its companions. 
Mr. Gredney says: “’^For my own part I candidly confess that Tur- 
qnoisines hold the most prominent place in my estimation of the tribe 
to which they belong.’^ In the concluding paragraph of the same 
chapter he remarks: "I ought to add that Turquoisines are extremely 
gentle in disposition, rarely resenting any interference on the part of 
weaker birds, and it is also worthy of note that they may be handled 
with perfect safety, as they very seldom bite, and when they do it is 
scarcely more severe than the nip from a Canary’s beak.” 
On the other hand, a correspondent of the Bazaar wrote: “The 
Turquoisines seem very cross-grained, especially the hen, who scolds 
at any bird approaching her, and is never happy if there be another 
on the seed-tray at the same time as herself.” But, as we have already 
more than once remarked, all the members of one species have not the 
same disposition; and even in the most amiable family one is apt to 
meet with a c<antankarous individual now and then. 
We cannot bring ourselves to believe, however, that the process of 
“manufacturing” hen out of cock Turquoisines has ever been had re- 
course to in this country, and that for the best of all reasons, it would 
not “pay”, because it would be sure to be found out: however, the 
following is the modus operandi as related by a recent writer on Parrots 
and Parrakeets: — “The process consists in pulling out the red patch 
upon the wings, and destroying the blue face markings by means of 
caustic, which changes the mask to a dingy brown, leaving only the 
blue band upon the forehead. The neck feathers receive a few touches 
from the same magic wand, and the result is a very fair imitation of 
a hen,” — which, we may add, would in a couple of weeks’ time be 
proved to be an impostor by the growth of the red shoulder spot: 
no, the fraud would not “pay”, and we think amateurs need have no 
fear of being imposed upon by such a paltry swindle. 
The young are greyish green, and without any of the distinctive 
markings found in the adult birds; they soon moult, however, and in 
three or four months from the time of leaving the nest, are not to be 
distinguished from their parents, with whom they continue to remain 
closely associated until instinct, the following spring, impels them to 
set up housekeeping on their own account, when, as we have already 
observed, it will be well to provide them with other mates than their 
