332 The Marquess of Tavistock—Breeding Notes for 1933


they are lovely birds, no doubt owing to the extra feeding they

received. The third pair had young dead in the shell. The cock is a

youngster imported last autumn who only came into adult plumage

in mid-winter ; doubtless he will do better next year. It is rather

strange, though, that even when the feeding, management, and stock

are identical and there is no lack of sunshine before or during the

breeding season, for some elusive reason the fertility of eggs and

readiness of birds to lay will vary considerably in different years.


The Princess of Wales Parrakeets came into breeding condition

and paired but the hen would not take to any nest and did not lay.

I am hoping for better luck next year with an unrelated cock bred

by Mr. Harvey. This bird got ill when turned into the aviary in hot

weather and I mean to try and acclimatize him to outdoor life in winter

when the microbes are less active. He is at present in a flight cage in

the bird-room and has learned to imitate perfectly all the cries of the

Roseate Cockatoos in the adjoining aviary !


The Crimson-wings reared four good young but one was found

dying from a mysterious injury to the mouth a short time after it had

left the nest.


Although the cock spends most of the year at liberty and the hen

lays twice each season the fertility of the Australian Kings’ eggs is

always very low. This year only one of the first clutch hatched.

Usually the hen waits until her first lot of offspring are out in the world

before she lays a second time, but this year she laid again about a

fortnight before the young one flew. She is a devoted mother,

continuing to feed her first family even when she is incubating the

second lot of eggs, but this year her concern for her child proved

unfortunate. The day it left the nest anxiety for its welfare and

desire to assist it in its first exploration of the outside world proved

the stronger impulse and she deserted her eggs in order to do her duty

by her debutante daughter ! One of the eggs that looked fertile was

entrusted to the Grey Parrot, but I fear with no good result, for Polly,

like most old maids of the parrot family, only likes eggs and should

one happen to hatch is so shocked by the unexpected event that she

destroys the pink monstrosity.


A second hen Crimson-wing, paired to the infertile Hybrid Sula



