87 



The first nest had died without egg, therefore with the next 

 nest the owner gave egg, evidently fearing that the post hoc 

 was necessarily the propter hoc. But this next nest perished 

 also ! So the cause of the trouble in this case must be looked 

 for apart from t)ie nature of the food. 



In conclusion I would advise my correspondent to stiffen 

 his back and not rush back in dire alarm to the beaten track 

 because he hears a rustle in the bush. Kven the eggists get 

 bad seasons in a like respect. 



W. Geo. Creswei.i<. 



P. vS. Do the German country breeders, (who produce 

 large numbers at less than sixpence each to the dealers) supply 

 their birds with egg ? 



P. P. S. I am instituting a series of experiments re sub- 

 stitutes for egg, not that one is absolutely necessary from the 

 purely physiological point of view, but for the benefit of those 

 who prefer to give their birds some animal food. So far I 

 find that ant eggs (dry) are most readily eaten by Canaries. 



According to Mr. Rettich egg is used by the German 

 breeders {vide " Profitable Canary Breeding as practised in 

 Germany "), but the Germans induce their hens to feed their 

 young on seed as well, by keeping them on rape seed as a 

 staple and supplying canary and hemp only as a treat — under 

 which conditions the birds are said to consider canary and 

 hemp as delicacies, and feed their young therewith. The mixed 

 seed is supplied two hours before sunset, and left in the cage for 

 the early morning feed. Egg food is supplied during the day. 

 Oats, in the form of " cut groats," are also given to breeding 

 birds. 



I feel sure that many hens, possibly the majority, will 

 refuse to feed their young if supplied nierely with their 

 accustomed seed and green food. It is surely advisable to 

 supply in addition either sponge cake, crushed sweet biscuit, 

 colifichet, or some other tasty stuff such as that useful V.S.N. 

 Food which used to be made by the late Mr. Elfick. 



I have abandoned the use of egg, but am not con- 

 verted to the strictly " seed and green food " system. It is not 

 simply a question of what is best for the young, but what the 

 parents can be induced to feed them with. 



Horatio R. Fili^mer. 



