254



The Marquess of Tavistock —



became a violent feather-plucker and, owing to the nature of her food,

a cure seemed rather hopeless. Fortunately, however, she did not

continue the vice and by the end of winter was again more or less

clothed.


Yellow-bellied Parrakeets made another rather unexpected but

unsuccessful effort at breeding. I had had the hen so many years

without her settling down to business that I had come to regard her

as rather a hopeless proposition.


The cock, a fine young bird bred by Monsieur Decoux, was extremely

anxious to nest about April and seemed annoyed at the hen’s reluctance

to settle down to business. One day I found her a good deal knocked

about and denuded of patches of feathers so I separated them for fear

he should do her serious injury. A few weeks later I was surprised

to see her display when I happened to whistle to her so I returned the

cock to the aviary. They got on fairly well but their relations were

“ winter ” relations rather than breeding-season relations. He cleared

her out of the way when he examined the nest instead of politely

making way for her and waggling his tail as she inspected the hole

and also he never fed her. When she actually came into breeding

condition in June he had begun to moult and though she sat her full

time the eggs were infertile. I think that next year they will be all

right as, in spite of the failure of this year’s nest, they seem more

friendly and on better terms than ever before.


With regard to new additions, among the more or less recent

arrivals the pretty little Fair Lorikeet has settled down well in his

outdoor aviary in company with an old Purple Sunbird. He is a very

active little fellow and scampers about with mouse-like agility. He

is rather nervous and on any hint of danger rushes into the aviary

shelter and pops into his sleeping-box out of the entrance to which

a few seconds later his head appears to take stock of the enemy.

Would that I could get him a mate !


The pair of Rothschild’s Birds of Paradise have done very well

in their outdoor aviaries. The hen is in show condition and the cock

would be but for a few flight feathers damaged before he was turned

out. His great Whydah-like tail is now perfect and either that or his

wings make a curious silky rustling as he flies from perch to perch.



