18



Correspondence



The birds were fed upon best grade white oats, a mixture of canary seed,

white millet, brown millet, and an occasional millet spray. The principal

food, however, is white oats, fed, of course, with the husk on, just as they

are bought. The birds used a great quantity of this when rearing the nest

of four.


The young birds were observed by several members of the Society who

commented on the fact that their plumage was even more perfect than that

of the parents, not a feather being out of place, and the plumage was as tight

as that of a Java Sparrow.


G. Rowland Hutchinson.



BLACK-CHEEKED LOVEBIRDS


Two hens and one cock were received from England but the cock bird

on arrival, was in poor condition, and died after six months, never recovering

from the effects of the voyage.


A further cock bird was imported, but on the voyage had a dispute with a

hen Peach-faced Lovebird and the lady scalped him. Fortunately the injury

was only skin deep, and has not had any effect other than preventing any

further feathers growing on this patch about \ in. in diameter.


After several months he settled down and took to housekeeping with

one of the hens in a long hollow puriri log. The birds carted a great mass

of nesting material into this, practically filling the log with the exception

of a hollow at the far end and a tunnel from the hollow to the entrance.

All sorts of materials such as bark, coarse grass stems, millet sprays, and

other odds and ends usually found on the floor of an outside aviary were used.

The shape of the tunnel made to the actual nest through the log is peculiar.

From the entrance of the log to within a few inches of the nest itself, the

tunnel is fairly wide but on what is really the edge of the nest, material is

piled almost to the roof and a very small opening is made through which the

bird pushes its way from the tunnel to the nest. Quite likely it is a precaution

against the entrance of birds of prey, larger than the Lovebird itself.


Four eggs, the usual number, were laid, they being oval and white. The

Black-cheeked hen is an excellent mother, her eggs and chicks being her one

object in life. She sits remarkably closely, more so than the Masked variety.

The log was hung outside so that rain and weather would beat on it, for

Black-cheeks require a good deal of moisture in the lower parts of the nest

as otherwise the chicks have difficulty in breaking the membrane inside the

shell.


Three chicks eventually left the nest, but they were not completely

feathered, it being a couple of weeks after flying in the open before the feathers

on the rump were completely grown. The young Black-cheeks agree perfectly

with their parents, even after the hen has gone to nest again. The young

flew 10th August, 1930.


The birds were fed on Lovebird mixture with an extra quantity of white

millet and hulled oats with an occasional millet spray. They appreciate a

supply of green grass seeds of all descriptions and are particularly keen on

rape seed in the pod before it ripens. The young left the nest and are

thriving.



G. Rowland Hutchinson.



