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C. Naether—A Homeless Young Mocking-bird



thirty-five days old, while cuddling in my hand. Later, it sang freely,

although it turned out to be a hen ; but after some time it left off

altogether. I have noticed that other Rosella hens sing occasionally,

but they leave off after a time as a rule.


At thirty-two days old the youngster took its first short flight,

but the next day it flew intentionally to the food pot and the next

back again on to my hand. At forty days old it fed itself entirely. It

bathed very thoroughly every day.


It was very amusing when it made friends with a male Blue-rump

X Pigmy Parrot. The two were always together and even after they had

been separated for some months recognized each other ; the hybrid

took no notice of three other tame Pigmy Parrots, but always came

at once to its friend’s cage and remained near. When they were let out

they flew about together in the room and presently the Pigmy began

to try and feed its big friend, which then took up the mating position.

If the Pigmy was annoyed it flew on the hybrid’s back and put him

rapidly to flight. It did this even when only just fledged. This conduct

did not put an end to their friendship, the hybrid always came back

until I separated the unequal pair in the following year and gave them

away.


The following summer the hybrid and a male Stanley reared one

young one.



A HOMELESS YOUNG MOCKING-BIRD


By Carl Naether


A few weeks ago a neighbour’s boy brought me a young Mocking¬

bird. The approach of a prowling cat, heralded loudly by the bird’s

angry parents, had prompted the fledgelings to jump out of their nest,

which strangely enough was set high in a black acacia tree. So the

boy had found one of the young birds, which was unable to fly and

which he mistook for a young Shrike.


Realizing that it would very probably mean certain death for the



