THE LOVE BIRD.

Patea Mail, 4 October 1882, Page 4

THE LOVE BIRD.

Among the tunny birds of beautiful plumage found in Australia is oiie called the love bird. It is about the size of a sparrow, with a parrot-shaped beak, and covered with a plumage of. green and gold. There are many other birds in that country with a more gaudy- or gay plumage, but none in which the two most beautiful colours, gold and green, are so artistically blended as in the love bird. The English lark is noted for its song; the eagle for its keenness of sight and strength of pinions ; the dove for its harmlessness ; the parrot for its marvellous power of imitating certain sounds, meaning certain words; the-, magpie for its craft and cunning; the sparrow for its common cry of“ cheer up,” and.the love bird is noted for the intensity of its effections. There are other birds of. the parrot species that have a good amount of this same feeling of attachment, but none in whom it is so marvellously strong as,in the love bird. It is an established fact that they, connot exist singly. When they are kept as pets, they must be kept in pairs. They can be kept in large numbers, but hot less than two will live. If there are two in a cage and one dies or gets killed* the other pines away and dies. If one hops down from its perch, the other quickly follows, and the same in eating and drinking. They cannot sing, and if in pairs and undisturbed,. do not make much noise. They might be termed mute mates. Their love is stronger than death. —American Paper.