H. Hampe—A Cross-bred Stanley X Rosella Parrakeet



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Newly hatched Stanleys and Rosellas are alike and naturally it

was the same with the hybrid. Its skin, beak, legs, and feet were

flesh coloured, its claws and egg tooth white, and its long thick down

was whitish. At five days’ old its eyes opened to a narrow slit, and at

seven days the feet turned reddish-grey and the egg tooth fell off. Two

days later its beak turned whiter, and two days later still its claws were

grey with lighter tips. At thirteen days the first down appeared and

three days later the dark grey down robe was complete. Tiny quills

were now everywhere visible and at four weeks’ old the bird was nearly

full feathered. At seventy days its beak began to turn blue-grey

beginning at the base.


Its youthful colouring was pale and dull. Taken altogether the

bird decidedly resembles a Stanley, especially above. Its forehead is

strawberry colour, its scalp darker and the feathers edged with yellow.

The back of its head greenish yellow, with a few red spots, and at the

sides a narrow red stripe. Ear patches greenish yellow. The cheek

mark is dirty blue and white, the same shape and size as the Rosella’s.

Round the eyes yellowish grey. Neck and back feathers black, edged

blue. Rump and middle tail feathers green, and wing spot blue. Throat

pale red, mingled with green, feathers yellow edged. Green crop, feathers

red edged in parts, breast and belly green, under tail coverts red. On

the under side from the thighs to the middle of the breast there is a

narrow red stripe. Its eyes are dark brown, beak blue grey with

lighter tip, legs and feet reddish grey, claws grey.


With the first moult, which takes place when the bird is about

seventy-five days old and only includes the small feathers, its colouring

cleared and it grew redder, especially on the head and belly. At seven

months’ old it underwent a full moult, beginning with the tail feathers.

After this the bird grew red-edged feathers on its back and more red

generally, the red belly stripe also was broader.


The nestling food cry was at first a weak “ Wee ”, later “ djuck ” ;

if the sop was too hot it screamed loudly “ jick ”. After it was fledged

and was begging for some dainty such as a bit of apple it went back

to “ Wee ”. This is also the note with which adult Stanley and Rosella

hens demand their mates to feed them. The hybrid sang when only



