296 



are very regular and equal, thus adding to the handsome appearance of the 

 bird. Instead of giving a minute description of the plumage here, I pur- 

 pose figuring the bird in a near issue and giving the description then. 



AN ABNORMAL PLUMAGED OX OR BUFFALO WEAVER. 



Our esteemed member, Mr. O. Millsum, has received via the Continent, a 

 most interesting specimen which unfortunately arrived dead. The size of 

 this species is very variable and this specimen is rather small ; space only 

 permits me in this issue to say that instead of an almost entirely black 

 plumage, it is about equally mottled black and white, with a yellow beak. 

 The eyes were too far gone when it arrived for me to be quite certain of 

 their colour, but I am of the opinion that they were black. Further 

 remarks must be left till next issue when I shall hope to figure this unique 

 specimen. 



ERRATUM. Page 264, title of last par., for Mexican Trogon read 

 Resplendent Trogon. 



The Notes on the Clarionet Bird and Penduline Tits are 

 again crowded out. This suggested new feature of our Magazine has been 

 perforce shelved on several occasions; however in our next issue, the first 

 of a new vol., it can be very fitting!}' inaugurated. 



Correspondence. 



FEEDING WILD BIRDS. 



vSir, — Perhaps some of the readers of Bird Notes may like to hear of 

 a successful plan for baffling .Sparrows in their rude attempts to take more 

 than their share of the food primarily intended for song and other favourite 

 birds, and which was adopted from a paragraph in the Daily Mail. 



When the sudden fall of snow came in December last, covering the 

 ground some two or three inches on gardens and walks, and out of doors 

 feeding became a necessity, the difficulty of preventing the ubiquitous and 

 masterful sparrow not only from consuming all food but also from driving 

 away the guests for whom it was intended, presented itself with its usual 

 force, and the suggested method of how to meet it determined upon. 



A roughly made small deal table was quickly put together with four 

 short light pieces of wood for legs and placed on the snow beneath the 

 window of dwelling house, legs uppermost, the latter being twice wound 

 round with black thread embracing the sides and ends of table and allow- 

 ing about three inches of space between the two rounds of thread as well 

 as between the lower round and the board where the food was scattered. 

 This plan proved very successful, several Sparrows hovered daily round and 

 near the table, but not one ventured to cross the line of thread although 

 other birds of all kinds came down to the food showing little or no fear two 

 or three times in the day. A Great Tit was especially observed in constant 

 attendance, with Robins, Chaffinches, Blackbirds, Starlings, etc. 





