i65 



The Bengalese are birds of the Northern Hemisphere and 

 begin to nest in the spring or early snninier. They will breed 

 readily in a cage, and require a cocoa-nut husk, or a small box 

 with an opening in one side, for a nesting place. Fine hay is 

 sufficient as material for the nest. H. R. F. 



Sir,— My vSt. Helena Seed-eaters have hatched out twice, 

 but both times have not brought the young up. I have found 

 the young thrown out of the nest, but why they have been so 

 treated I cannot say. The hen has just given up sitting on 

 three eggs after having done so for quite the full time, but 

 I find on examining them that they were not fertile. 



A pair of White-throated Finches did just the same, 

 namely, hatched out two young birds and then declined to 

 bring them up, and I found them thrown out of the nest alive. 

 I put them back but found them again thrown out and dead. 

 My only success has been two fine Blossom-headed Parrakeets. 



N1CH01.AS S. O'ReiIvIvY. 



BALDNESS IN BULLFINCHES. 



SiR,_\Vill you please tell me through Bird Notes, how to 

 cure a Bullfinch of a bald head, also the cause } It is a young 

 cock, just beginning his moult, and is now nearly bald on his 

 head and neck. He is in a roomy cage, cleaned every morning. 

 I feed on canary, millet, rape and a little hemp seed once a 

 day, also plenty of green food.- 



It may perhaps interest some of our readers to hear that 

 I have reared nine Bullfinches this year, out of which 

 seven have been hens— these I let fly. I have found eight 

 nests, two of which had young ones, just about to fly on 

 September 8th. Is not this very late ? E. B. 



By the time this appears in print the Bullfinch will probably 

 have grown new feathers on the bald patch. I have frequently 

 observed this peculiarity in this and some other species, viz. 

 that the cranial feathers are discharged en masse instead of in 

 the usual gradual manner. It is not a disease and therefore 

 requires no cure. I have a Virginian Cardinal which always 

 moults after this fashion. 



Seven hand-reared Bullfinch hens would have been more 

 valuable than the same number of handreared males. 



W. Geo. CREswEr.iv. 



