Review



245



aviary, although he usually ignored them unless they got in his way.

After some hours of intermittent conflict, the hen gave way and

brooded the young one for about two minutes. The cock then went

on to the nest and also brooded for two minutes, after which he

came off and renewed his attacks on his partner. Evidently she had

said to him, “ You can sit on the child yourself if you are so

fussy,” and he had replied, “ I shall sit just as long as you do ;

if you imagine you are going to put all the work on me you are

very much mistaken. Do you suppose that your husband is a

Tinamou, I should like to know 1 ” As the day went on the conflict

increased in bitterness and, finally, about 7 o’clock, culminated in

a prolonged battle on the top of the unhappy cause of the dispute i

To save it from being trampled and battered to death, we finally

decided to remove it. As soon as this was done peace was instantly

restored; the erstwhile combatants sat lovingly side by side and,

after the manner of doves, began thinking about their next effort

in the nesting line ! After giving them further time to cool down

thoroughly, we returned the young bird, and the hen brooded it

during the night.


Next day, though there were one or two squabbles in the morn¬

ing, the domestic atmosphere was less tense, and by evening the cock

had accepted the position, evidently concluding that his wife,

though a bit of a fool in some ways, on this occasion might, after

all, be right !



REVIEW


BUDGERIGARS IN BUSH AND AVIARY 1

So popular has the Budgerigar become in all civilized countries

that several books have been devoted to its culture as an aviary bird,

but the authors of these only knew it as such, and had not had an

opportunity of meeting with it in its original home, Australia. The

latest book on this most attractive Parrakeet, however, has been

written by an Australian in Australia, who knows it in its wild life


1 Budgerigars in Bush and Aviary, by Neville Cayley. The Australian Book

Co., 37 Great Russell Street, W.C. 1. Price 7s. 6 d. net.



