128



C. H. Macklin —1935 Breeding Episodes



each other. They lived in confinement but a very short time and bore

it badly. At times, even while we stood watching their lively antics,

one would tumble off its perch and die, apparently in convulsion.

The islands on which these birds are found are very small, and it would

not require a very great effort totally to exterminate them.”



1935 BREEDING EPISODES


By C. H. Macklin, F.Z.S., M.B.C.S., L.R.C.P.


The past year has been a “ red-letter ” one with me, as I have at

last realized a twelve-year-old ambition and won an Avicultural

Society Medal for breeding the Royal Parrot Finch. An account of this

has already appeared in the Magazine (September, 1935), up to the

successful rearing of the first young bird, the survivor of a brood of two.

Early in July the parents went to nest again, this time in a small wooden

box hung on the back wall of the inside shelter of their aviary. On

10th July they were sitting on three eggs, and I first heard squeaks

from the newly hatched young on 29th July. On 5th August I had a

look into the nest with my throat lamp and mirror, and found the three

chicks just feathering. Next day I went away for my summer holiday,,

leaving my birds in the care of my old gardener, who is an excellent “ bird

man ”. The three young Parrot Finches flew about 20th August. While

I was still away one got tangled in the nest and my man was just in time

to save a tragedy, as he noticed it hanging by one leg at the entrance

in time to save it. When I came home on the 27th all three were flying

about in perfect fettle. I left all four youngsters with the old birds

outside until the second week in December. The weather then began

to be bad and one bird got a chill and died ; I had made the mistake

of leaving them out a week or so too long. The first young bird, a cock,

was now in full plumage, and the old cock occasionally chased him

away from the hen or the food pans, but there was no serious bullying

and they are still together in the indoor aviary. A second young bird

died in January, and I am left with the old pair and a true pair of

youngsters.



