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The Marquess of Tavistock—Facts and Figures


FACTS AND FIGURES


By The Marquess of Tavistock


The following analysis of the breeding and health results in a

big collection may be of interest.


The birds were housed in twelve fixed aviaries of varying sizes,

with tiled floors ; in a large number of movable aviaries the great

majority of which were 24 ft. by 8 ft. by 8 ft., and contained one pair

only ; and, in the case of new arrivals, temporarily, in cages in bird-

rooms.


The period under review is really somewhat less than twelve months,

for although the first pairs were transferred from Peasmarsh to

Haywards Heath about a year ago, the process of moving continued

for several months and the last birds did not arrive before May. With

the exception of two Birds of Paradise, the whole lot were members

of the Parrot family.


The total number of birds to come under consideration is 266,

of which eighty-nine have been in the collection for nine months or

more, while the remainder I have had for periods varying from several

months to a few days.


The following species are included :—G-rey, Blue-fronted Amazon,

and Backet-tailed Parrots ; Queen of Bavaria and Bed-breasted

Conures ; Gang-gang, Leadbeater’s, Boseate, Banksian, and Palm

Cockatoos ; Blue-crowned Hanging Parrots ; Solitary, Tahiti Blue,

and Ultramarine Lories ; Yellow-mantled Bosella Parrakeets, Mealies,

Brown’s, Adelaides, Pennant’s, Yellow-rumps, Yellow-bellies, Stanley’s,

Barnard’s, Hooded, Bluebonnets, Splendid, Turquoisine, Bock Grass,

Blue-winged ; Australian, Green-winged, Amboina, and Salwalty King

Parrakeets ; Crimson-winged Parrakeets, Barraband’s, Bock Peplar,

Yellow-fronted New Zealand, Indian Bing-necked, Plumheaded,

Bayard’s, Slaty-headed, Derbyan, Malabar, and Swift. Hybrid Barra-

band X King and Slatyheaded X Plumheaded Parrakeets ; Nyassa

Lovebirds ; Bothschild’s and Princess Stephanie’s Birds of Paradise.


The total number of deaths (exclusive of unfledged nestlings)

has been 27, 15 of which have been birds of the year bred in the

collection.



