260 E. Valentine—Rearing of Goodfellow’s Blue-headed Parrot-finch



SUCCESSFUL REARING OF GOODFELLOW’S

BLUE-HEADED PARROT-FINCH


By E. Valentine


I have hopes of the new Parrot-Finches bringing of! a nest of young,

I had seen very little of them, the hen not once for over a fortnight,,

until last Saturday when I saw them very busy at the live ants’ eggs,

evidently flying to a nest I cannot find—of course I have not looked

seriously for one.


Since then I have seen them every day and I have some hopes of

success.


Some time since I picked up a dead Bedheaded Parrot-Finch three

parts feathered. That was in another aviary, the old birds are now on

with their second nest.


Ten days ago, on my return from the Test Match at Manchester,

I found four young Double-banded Finches flying about their aviary,

the same one that contains the Blue-headed Parrot-Finches. They are

still going strong, but I am watching them closely as the old folks-

seem to be looking for another nest.


The Cherry-Finches have done nothing yet, after spending much

time looking like business.


This morning I got a shock when I gathered a dead young bird,

again three parts feathered, which I was sure must be a precious Blue-

head, but on examining same I have come to the conclusion it is too

small for a Parrot-Finch and more like a Cuban, of which my pair are

in the same aviary.


To-day (6th August) four fine young Blue-headed Parrot-Finches

left their nest. Even yet I don’t know where it is, but suspect they

were hatched in a Parrakeet nest-box.



