io6 



The increase of bird life in London and its suburbs is a most gratify- 

 ing feature. In my garden at Shepherds Rush, Cole, Great and Blue Tits, 

 Blackbird, Starling, Thrush, Accentor and Robin are always with us, while 

 the list of birds which pass over and are casual visitors is quite a large one 

 and includes Linnet, Lesser Redpoll (one of these was seen on top of my 

 aviarj' on loth ult.), Willow-Wren, Garden Warbler, Chiff-Chaff, Twites, 

 Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, the two latter are fairly regular visitors 

 all the year round. The quiet of morning and evening is pleasantly broken 

 by the cawing of Rooks passing overhead, while the Blackbird, Thrush and 

 Robin fill the air with melody. Quite a lengthy list of migrants visit us 

 each autumn, while in my near vicinity, in gardens providing better cover 

 than mine, Wrens, Chiff-Chaff, Chaffinch, Robin, Blackbird. Thrush and 

 Starling nest regularly and successfully rear their young. Up to about 

 three years ago I had the joy of hearing the Lark singing at liberty while 

 wandering in the garden in the early mornings ; bricks and mortar have 

 now driven him farther afield. If some restriction could be placed upon 

 cats and Passerdomesticus the list of visiting and nesting birds would prob- 

 ably be a more lengthy one. While on the subject of suburban birds it may 

 be of interest to note that albinism or semi-albinism has been specially 

 prevalent the last two seasons. In a neighbouring district, about a mile 

 away, I have seen fully a dozen such this year, evidently birds which I had 

 observed the previous year and which have escaped the trapper and survived 

 the hardships of winter, but not one of thein were pure white, several of them 

 were only fouled by a few feathers on the head and wings ; while one was 

 in normal plumage except for a longitudinal streak running through the 

 centre of the crown and well down the nape. Records of such observations 

 scattered all over the country are endless, and either a greater interest is 

 being taken in our native Avifauna or albinism is becoming much more 

 prevalent of late years. 



LONG-TAILED GRASSFIIVIC H ES BREEDING IN CAGE. 



A correspondent informs me that last year he succeeded in successfully rear- 

 ing four of this handsome species in a cage 2^ft. by ift. by ijft. high. 

 Unfortunately I am not able at present to give details, but the bare fact is 

 of much interest as Poephila have so far given but little inclination of 

 nesting save in roomy aviaries. This should encourage those, whose 

 environment, does not permit of outdoor aviaries to persevere in the 

 attempt to breed Foreigners in cages. If room)' cages are provided, with 

 one end at any rate partially screened as the nesting quarters, and the cage 

 kept where its occupants will get plenty of fresh air without draught, there 

 should be reasonable prospects of successfully breeding many species thus. 

 The communication above referred to left the impression that the young 

 were reared on seed and «reen food alone. 



