182 Mrs. Florence Verey—On Breeding Blackbirds for Colour


beautiful notes of the Honey-eaters and tbe screeching of the Lories,

but I thought not so freely as before.


At the same time I was hand-rearing the young regias I also brought

up successfully sixteen Zosterops of two species Z . fiavifrons and

Z. griseinota. Some of these were very newly hatched when brought

in, but all lived, and also four Massena’s Lories, Trichoglossus massence.

The Zosterops were reared on that invaluable fruit papayia (called in

some parts pawpaw) and the yolk of hard-boiled egg, while the

Lories, of course, were brought up on the sweet milk mixture.


Now we have introduced the Koyal Parrot Finch over here, it

remains to be seen who will be the first to breed it, and I hope it will

be long before the present stock dies out.



ON BREEDING BLACKBIRDS FOR COLOUR


By Mrs. Florence Verey


Now that the Protection of Birds Act comes into force, many British

bird fanciers will be breeding their own birds. As I have already been

breeding and rearing for several seasons, my experiences may be

useful or interesting.


I have bred Bullfinches for two or three years and have one aviary-

bred cock put up with a wild hen now, and am also hoping to breed

Linnets and Goldfinches; but as there has been lately a most interesting

article on Bullfinches in the Avicultural Magazine, I shall confine

myself to my experience of breeding Blackbirds.


Three years ago Mr. Watts, a well-known local bird-fancier and

veterinary surgeon, found a Blackbird’s nest in his hedge with two

strange looking young nearly ready to fly. They were raided by a cat,

but he was fortunately able to rescue one which he presented to me,

and I finished it by hand, using Spratt’s C.L.O., sieved flies, chopped

earthworms, and a little egg-yolk now and again.


This bird, a hen. I named Mistletoe. She is a very pale creamy

white cinnamon, or light biscuit colour, with greyish underfluff, pink

eyes, yellow bill, and pink feet and legs.



