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Correspondence



friends with a Tovi Parrakeet. About four years ago he and another

Black-cheeked Lovebird cock lived for a summer in a cage in the house and

spent all day free, coming home to their cage through the window in the

evening, and twice since he has spent his days in the drawing-room, where

the door is always open. He has gone out again : he was out to-day for

about four hours. He looks just like a dead leaf when he hangs swaying on

a branch, but when flying he is just as well as he ever was. I watched him

to-day light on the flat roof of the aviary and rise from it again; he pushes

himself up with his beak. At first his legs were both tight up against his

body, but to-day, when he flew over me in the garden, one leg was hanging

down ; and I fancy lately he has had a little more power in his right leg.


The trouble is that I do not know what to do to help him. He hates being

touched. To get him into his cage at night one has to wait until he is hanging

on to a picture or the window and press his cage against him. In the morning

I lift him out. I tried to force him to eat soaked seed at first, but he would

far sooner starve. I have painted his legs and rubbed them with no success;

but, apart from his legs, he is in perfect health. I’ve rarely seen a bird with

such a gloss on him, and he is quite fat. When he is out he goes and sits on

the Lovebird aviary and talks to them ; and to-day he came in and out of

the house several times calling to get the Tovi to follow him out, but I was

afraid of the Tovi—who is rather a fool but quite finger-tame—getting lost,

and I shut him up in his cage.


It is so pathetic to see this bird that I wish someone could help me.

I think he is quite happy now that he can fly ; but, of course, some day he’ll

get taken by a cat or a Hawk, as he cannot start quickly, and if his legs get

no better I am afraid they will waste away and never have any hope of

improvement.


H. G. Chichester.



A FEATHER-PLUCKING PARROT


In reply to Mrs. Hewley in reference to Feather-plucking Parrot.

If this lady cares to correspond with me I have no doubt that I can be

instrumental in promoting a cure, either by sending treatment or by having

the bird sent to me for treatment.


I have had under treatment a very severe case which I have successfully

stopped; there is to date no signs of the habit returning, and I think a complete

cure has been effected.


P. H. Hastings, F.Z.S.


Locksway Road,


Milton,


Southsea.



ADDITIONS TO BREEDING RECORDS


Dr. Hopkinson’s series of articles under the above heading, which have

been appearing in the Magazine for some months past, have been reprinted

and form a very useful appendix to his volume Records of Birds Bred in

Captivity, which was published in 1926. Since that year the list has been

greatly increased, but the Additions bring it up to date. The number of

reprints published is very limited, but copies can be obtained, while they

last, from the Editor at 2s. 6d. each.



