Cage Birds BIGGER AUSTRALIANS

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30761, 27 May 1965, Page 12

Cage Birds BIGGER AUSTRALIANS

(Specially written for “The Press’’ by

J. H. D. MILLER)

The main subjects of these notes are not, strictly speaking, cage birds; at least they 'are not suitable for the domestic aviary'. They are, howlever, of interest to all birdi lovers.

: The lyre bird of Australia is known here only by reputation. It is a lovely bird with a tuneful song and great powers of mimicry. It is one of the most colourful, in the Australian bush and is greatly sought after by photographers. However, it is very shy, and tile photgrapher counts himl self fortunate who finds one isolated in an open space. It mimics both birds and humans: and reproduces the songs of nearly every bird in the bush, including the kookaburra. A Remarkable “Nest” The Australian mallee, or moundbird, a brown bird about the size of the domestic fowl, is notable for its nesting habits. Our idea of a bird’s-nest is a cosy compact little cup-like bed made of straw, dry grass, moss and so on, lined perhaps, with animal hair or thistledown.

The mallee, however, merely looks for a small clearing, makes a small hollow, and lays its eggs therein. Instead of sitting on the eggs, the mallee covers them with a kind of compost heap about three feet high, of dead leaves, grass, etc. and allows the natural heap of decomposition to hatch the eggs. Up to 35 eggs of a pretty pink hue are laid and they are hatched by a truly wonderful process. The bird pro-

vides an air channel to the eggs for ventilation; and when in due course the young birds pick their way to the surface they have enough nourishment stored in their bodies to keep them going until they can fend for themselves. The eggs are about four inches long and weigh about half a pound each. Black Canaries Some weeks ago I referred to the efforts being made in New Zealand and throughout the world to produce a black and a pink canary. I have just had word that, two blacks have been bred by the president of the New Zealand New Colour Research Society, in Wellington. We shall look forward eagerly to the perpetuation of the black plumage in future clutches of chicks. With the knowledge already gained, this should be assured by modern methods.