' 31 



AN EPIDEMIC AMONG WOOD PIGEONS. 

 Sir,— I was much interested to see your Editorial Note in 

 the Feb. number on Mr. E. Kay Robinson's clever exposure of 

 the popular fallacy that birds are able to reason out the treat- 

 ment of a broken bone. But my chief reason for writing to 

 you is to ask your opinion on a matter which I see noticed in 

 one or two numbers of Mr. Robinson's paper, I allude to 

 the fact that there has been an epidemic of fatal disease 

 among Wood-Pigeons characterized by a waxy growth in the 

 throat, and that a gamekeeper writing in The Country Side 

 says it is caused by the birds eating beech mast. Is this 

 correct.? Having read your "Story of Bird - Death " I am 

 inclined to doubt it. " Enouirens." 



[You are right in your doubts ; I am afraid I cannot 

 acquiesce in the gamekeeper's etiology, but I will deal with 

 the matter more fully in our next issue. — Ed.] 



SOME NOTES ON THE CONURES. 



Sir, — Your article on the Golden - crowned Conure 

 prompts me to make a few remarks on different members 

 of this group which I have kept, and several of which I have 

 found to be very desirable birds for an aviary. Generally 

 speaking they are very bright and active, and soon become 

 tame. Many of them will even take food from the hand 

 without being in the least frightened. 



I have kept the following species, and have found them 

 to agree well together: — The Black - headed, the Golden- 

 crowned, the Jendaya or Yellow-headed, the Golden-breasted, 

 the White-eared, and the Cactus. They were all strong and 

 hardy birds, and stood the winter cold very well in an outdoor 

 aviary. 



The Golden - crowned and the White -eared were ex- 

 tremely interesting in their habits. The first-mentioned pair 

 were very fond of a Silky Cowbird named Jack. The}' used to 

 get on a bough, with Jack sitting in the middle, while they 

 took it in turn to scratch his head, a proceeding which he 

 seemed very much to enjoy. 



The White-eared are the smallest and I think the prettiest 



