BUDGEBIGAB. 
119 
spliinctei’j or circular muscle ttat regulates tlie anal aperture, prevents 
tlie bird depositing ber egg, and tbis form of tbe disease may be 
recognised by tbe straining, and impotent efforts of tbe poor bird to 
get rid of ber burden; in wbicb case a drop or two of oil introduced 
into tbe vent by means of a small camel-bair brush, combined witb 
warmtb, will relax tbe spasm, and enable tbe egg to be laid; but 
birds so troubled are weak, and should be caged up and well fed for 
a few days, or even weeks, before being restored to their mates. 
Some bens sit so continuously that, unless tbe cock is a most attentive 
partner, and has an abundance of food at bis disposal, they actually 
die upon their nests, especially during tbe first days after tbe hatching 
of tbe little ones; others again wear themselves out in a season by 
too assiduous attention to tbe great business of continuing tbe species, 
and should have their laudable desire to people tbe world witb Bud- 
gerigars kept within reasonable limits. 
Hardy and desirable as a cage or aviary bird, there would not be 
tbe least difficulty in acclimatising tbe Budgerigar in tbis country, 
were but a strict protection accorded them for a few years, after wbicb 
they would defy tbe farmer’s guns. During winter, especially if severe 
and prolonged frost set in, it would be necessary to scatter seed and 
especially oats near their haunts, as is now done for tbe Pheasants in 
many preserves; and as they are not destructive to growing crops, there 
is no reason why these pretty birds should not soon become a feature 
in our woods and copses. It would then be interesting to observe 
whether they reverted to tbe ancestral migratory habits of tbe species 
in Australia, and sought “fresh fields and pastures new” when tbe 
breeding fever was upon them. 
Where would they go to? cross tbe seas to Southern France or 
Spain? Who can tell: only let tbe experiment be made. Who will 
turn out a couple of hundred, or so, of Undulated Grass Parrakeets 
some fine May morning, in a well-preserved wood, full of ancient 
trees, in tbe boles and crevices of which tbe Australian strangers might 
make their nests and roar their young; and so help to solve a deeply 
interesting ornithological problem? 
That such a scheme is practicable we have no doubt, for these birds 
breed freely in garden aviaries, and there are instances on record in 
which escaped pairs have actually reared a brood in this country, as 
well as on the continent: let some amateur then, with whom the con- 
ditions for a successful carrying out of the experiment are possible, 
make the attempt, and record the result in some one of the many 
Journals that make “Aviculture” a speciahty. 
As we write. Budgerigars are more scarce in the market than they 
