Harry A. Collin—Lorikeets and Lovebirds



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the tiniest nest I have ever seen and from which flew a cock Green

Singing Finch. On inspection the nest contained two newly hatched

young and several eggs, and as the Singing Finch lost his mate several

years ago I haven’t the foggiest idea what the other parent of the

nestlings can be. If they survive and the Editor thinks they are

worthy of notice I will watch them carefully and record the result in

some future issue.


Though I have a mixed collection of several hundred birds, housed

in five large and three small aviaries, I have reared few hybrids with

the exception of those between Lovebirds (of which I have had several

crosses). The only hybrid other than those stated that I can recall

to memory was Zebra Finch X Chestnut-breasted Finch (?). The

latter I am not quite sure of.



LORIKEETS AND LOVEBIRDS


By Harry A. Collin


Many people seem to have the idea that Lories and Lorikeets are

very difficult to feed, and also to keep clean and healthy. I have kept

representatives of various species for some years, and my experience

is that they are no more trouble than the Seed-eaters. Give them

a good draught- and damp-proof shed, with a good layer of sawdust

on the floor, and an outside flight and they will be perfectly happy,

and will give their owner a lot of pleasure with their beauty and

entertaining ways.


They are real acrobats and the most active of the Parrot-like birds,

and to my way of thinking certainly the most beautiful.


My pair of Swainson’s Lorikeets went to nest last July and hatched

two chicks, but for some unknown cause these only lived to about

twelve or fourteen days. The old pair went to nest again in January,

and have reared one youngster, which is now four and a half months old,

and a very fine bird. Incubation took twenty-one days and the young

one left the nest when about nine weeks old. Its colouring is very

beautiful, but not quite so brilliant as that of the old birds ; its eyes

are black up to the present.



