173 



" beak, tapering lo a point, you may know them. The use of this big beak 

 "is to husk grain. Finches do not gobble up their seed whole as pigeons 

 " or fowls do ; they carefully husk each grain before swallowing it. Hence 

 " the meal of a bird of this family is a somewhat protracted affair. He who 

 " keeps an aviary should remember this and provide his birds with several 

 " seed-boxes, otherwise one or two bullies (for there are bullies even among 

 "tiny birds) are apt to monopolize the food. 



" He should also bear in mind that Nature does not provide her 

 " feathered children with teeth. vSeed-eating birds, therefore, habitually 

 " swallow small stones and pieces of grit. These perform the function of 

 " millstones inside the bird. From this it follows that it is cruel to keep 

 " seed-eating birds without supplying them with sand and grit. The bone 

 " of a cuttle-fish, tied to the wall of the cage, is much appreciated by all 

 "the finch tribe and helps to keep them in condition. 



" The nest of the Amadavat is a large ball of fibrous material, some- 

 " what carelessly put together, with a hole at one side by way of entrance. 

 " Winter is the season in which to look for the nests, but they are not easy 

 " to find, being well concealed in low bushes. Six pure white glossless eggs 

 " are usually laid." 



I have said Mr. Dewar does not write as an aviculturist, 

 but, from the foregoing extract, it will be seen that the book is 

 not merely informative as to the wild life of the birds and 

 ornithological problems, but it also contains much that is helpful 

 to the keeper of Foreign Birds. I cordially lecommend "Birds 

 of the Plains" as a useful and valuable addition to my reader's 

 bookshelves. W. T. P. 



Forkign Birds for Beginners. By Wesley T. Page, F.Z.S.,etc, illus- 

 trated. Published by F. Cari,, 154, Fleet Street, E.G. 1/1 post free. 



I have received from the publishers (Messrs. F. Carl 

 and Co.) a delightful little handbook entitled " Foreign Birds for 

 Beginners," written by Mr. Wesley T. Page. Most books on this 

 subject are expensive and somewhat diffuse, but here we have 

 something compact, up to date, and at such a wonderfully low 

 price as to be within the reach of all. 



Beginning with practical details of outdoor aviaries (with a 

 diagrammatic sketch of one measuring 12ft. x 6ft. x 6ft.), indoor 

 aviaries and cages, we next come to a chapter on foods. Here we 

 may note the strong vein of common sense that runs through the 

 book, for, instead of recommending one of those elaborate com- 

 pounds so frequently advocated, which are quite impracticable 



