Paul Kuntz—The Breeding of Lovebirds in Western Canada 261


mortar, crushed egg-shell, and cuttlebone was furnished and once a

week the birds were given oats soaked in water.


Eggs Need Not Be Sprinkled


As a result of placing fresh, leafy branches in the aviary I discovered

that it was not necessary to sprinkle the eggs with warm water as I

had done previously. Every day the birds carried fresh green leaves

to their nest-boxes and these supplied the eggs with sufficient moisture.

Boxes containing young were also kept fresh and clean through this

practice. I am informed that some American predatory birds,

particularly Cooper’s Hawk and the Broad-winged Hawk, always have

a supply of fresh green leaves in their nests when they contain eggs,

but this is not general amongst our passerine birds.


1931 Breeding Results


Black-cheeked, one pair : 3 nests, 5, 6, 4 eggs ; 4, 5, 4 young.

Total: 15 eggs, 13 young.


Nyasaland, two pairs : 3 nests, 5, 4, 5 eggs ; 2, 4, 4 young. Total :

14 eggs, 10 young. 3 nests : 1, 4, 4 eggs ; clear, 3, 4 young. Total:

9 eggs, 7 young.


Fischer’s, four pairs : 3 nests 4, 3, 5 eggs ; 4, 2, 3 young. Total:

12 eggs, 9 young.


Three nests : 4, 3, 5 eggs ; 2, 3, 3 young. Total: 12 eggs, 8 young.

Three nests : 3, 2, 4 eggs ; clear, 2, 3 young. Total: 9 eggs,

5 young.


Three nests : 5, 4, 2 eggs ; 3, 2, 2 young. Total: 11 eggs, 7 young.

Fischer’s X Black-cheeked, one pair : 3 nests : 4, 5, 3 eggs : 3,

5, 3 young. Total: 12 eggs, 11 young.


Fischer’s X Nyasaland, one pair : 3 nests : 3, 4, 3 eggs ; 3, 4, 2

young. Total: 10 eggs, 9 young.


Grand total : 104 eggs, 79 young, all of which were raised to


maturity.


Banding Young


In my experience it was disastrous to put open aluminium rings

on Lovebirds. In the first place the bands on the market are not strong

enough for the purpose ; in the second the parents soon remove them,



