12 S . Harvey—■Breeding the Splendid or Scarlet-chested Parrakeet


the 23rd October); one cock is showing a considerable amount of

red on the abdomen, a fair amount of blue is showing on the face, the

blue on the cocks’ faces is much brighter than that on the hens, the

primaries are dark blue, and coverts pale blue as in the adult. The

other bird, which I think is a cock, has not any red on the abdomen,

but had a few red feathers showing on the chest. The birds that I

think are hens have a deeper green on the chest, the young cocks’

chests have more yellow in the green. They are all well feathered

and are quite strong on the wing. The father does all the feeding now

they have left the nest, while in the nest the hen assists.


The Parrots I keep are principally of the genus Neophema , and

I have been successful in winning the medal of the Avicultural Society

of South Australia for the Elegant, Turquoisine, and Bourke’s, that is

for being the first member to breed these species, so naturally I am very

anxious to win the medal for the Scarlet-chested.


These results should prove that there is no harm in allowing

aviculturists to keep these rare Parrakeets in their aviaries.


Note.—27-10-32. The hen which reared young is in the log this

morning, evidently laying again.


[In a later note from Mr. Harvey dated 6th November he writes :

“ I am having a remarkable year with the Neophemas , to date have

reared 13 Bourkes, 7 Turquoisine, 10 Scarlets flying and 4 in a log

about 2 weeks old, 10 Elegants in 3 logs (not out), 7 pairs Turquoisine

sitting, 2 of these on second nest. Two hen Scarlets are laying again.

The Bourke-Scarlet cross were infertile. I am not doing any good

with other birds yet.”— Ed.]



