228



Correspondence



the ten birds arrived ; the excitement of going to meet the train can be

imagined, especially as I had not seen a live specimen. Later, I met the

husband, and he informed me that I was very fortunate to get the Parrakeets

as he was not at home when the wire arrived, and he intended bringing them

down when he came to town. He said if he had been home the birds would

not have been sent. Anyway, he must have celebrated the sale, as the cheque

was received by him and then lost, and I had to send another cheque.


The second season one pair went to nest, laying five eggs, all of which

were fertile. All hatched, but were dead on the following day. The following

season another attempt was made with the same result.


Mr. F. P. Kell, who had one of the pairs, was very fortunate in 1928, when

his birds nested in a log about 3 feet long, 5 inches in diameter, hanging

horizontally, and reared two fine young ones. The next two seasons this pair

nested, but allowed the young to die. Later, Mr. Kell disposed of his birds,

and I secured his four Alexandras.


Each season mine nested, and they continued to let the young die as soon

as hatched. Once an egg was transferred to one of Dr. Hamilton’s Red Rumps,

but this venture ended in failure.


In 1931 my old pair hatched three young and went on rearing for about

three days and then two died, the remaining one was taken away and hand-

reared by Mr. W. H. Foglia.


In 1932 the old pair which I secured from Mr. Kell and my old pair

both went to nest within a week of each other. They both had four eggs.

This time both cocks were removed after the hens commenced sitting.

This was a partial success. Mr. Kell’s hen hatched three, and reared them

for three weeks, and then threw one out. When discovered, it was nearly dead

and only lived a couple of hours. The other two were taken away at once

and successfully hand-reared.


After the other hen had been sitting a fortnight two of the eggs were

removed and given to a Bourke’s which had been sitting a week (the Bourke’s

eggs were removed). This experiment was made in desperation and was

a wonderful success, as both eggs were hatched and the young reared until

they were independent. I must say I was surprised when the Bourke’s

continued feeding : I was expecting to have to hand-rear after a fortnight.


The other hen hatched her two eggs and reared the young until a month

old and then deserted them. When this was discovered one young was dead ;

the other one was at once removed and successfully hand-reared. Next

season I intend to transfer all the eggs.


S. Harvey.



CURIOUS BEHAVIOUR OF A BARBARY PARTRIDGE


I would like to bring to the notice of the members of our Society the

following occurrence :—


I have in my aviaries a pair of Red-legged Barbary Partridges (Alectoris

petrosa). Early in April a nest was made, and the hen began to lay. The

eggs were laid at the rate of one every four or five days. (On former occasions

an egg was laid every three days.) When nine eggs had been laid, and six

weeks after the first egg had been laid, the cock began to sit. I did not

interfere until three weeks later, when I was surprised to see the cock

viciously attacking the hen and mauling her badly. I was just in time to



