BIRD NEWS 



pinkish in color, and longer than 

 the egg of the canary and are from 



to 5 in number. 



That they will brook no inter- 

 ference with their nest, is demon- 

 strated by the following: After my 

 nightingales had built their nest, it 

 being the first of that character, I 

 had ever seen, I went into the aviary 

 with a friend and carefully inspected 

 it, the birds meanwhile watching our 

 every move, and hovering about ner- 

 vously. We had no more than left 

 the enclosure, when they proceeded 

 to pick the nest apart and all the 

 time keeping up a peculiar soft 

 whistle, the interpretation of which 

 was probably, "we built too handy 

 for meddlers, let's move," which 

 they forthwith proceeded to do, into 

 a tree as far removed as they could 

 possibly get from the first one. It 

 is needless to state that I have not 

 since interfered with their nesting, 

 as they gave us plainly to under- 

 stand, that they resented any inter- 

 ference. 



Now, I have told you a few of 

 the excellent qualifications of these 

 birds, but I must not be so preju- 

 diced as to overlook their one fault 

 as an aviary bird, and even yet I give 

 them the benefit of the doubt, as 



1 must admit that I have never 

 caught them red-handed, (or liter- 

 ally speaking red-billed) in the act. 

 I have found, on numerous occa- 

 sions, very young birds, probably a 

 day or two old, on the floor of the 

 aviary, and being unable to account 

 for it, attributed it to the nightin- 

 gales, having heard that they are 

 guilty of the trick. Seeing the small 

 moving objects and mistaking them 

 for some toothsome morsel, pick 

 them out of the nests and drop 

 then on the floor. As I have before 

 stated, however, I have never seen 

 them do so, and as the evidence is 

 only hearsay, let us not condemn, 

 until more direct proof is furnished. 

 Remember the bird is an alien, and 

 heing a "Japanese" native, let us 



judge cautiously, or international 

 complications may arise. 



At any rate if they are really 

 found guilty of this misdemeanor 

 they can be easily removed before 

 the nesting season begins, and as far 

 as I personally am concerned, I love 

 them enough to take the chance. 



(The Pekin Nightingale (Lithotrix- 

 luteus) presents much difl^culty in 

 sexing, as both male and female 

 show individuals which are plum- 

 aged alike. Fanciers place some 

 points of difference in the intensity 

 of the coloring of the eye-patch, 

 that of the male being more bril- 

 liant. The call of the female is a 

 note of uniform tone and in its repe- 

 tition is certain to be responded to 

 byanother call. The bird replying is 

 almost sure to be a male. — Ed. B. N. 



PRESERVE THE IJIRDS. 



The Commissioner-generals com- 

 posing the North Amreican Conserv- 

 ation Conference, representing the 

 United States, Canada, Mexico, and 

 Newfoundland, in their declaration 

 of principles, embody the following 

 significant paragraph: We recog- 

 nize that game preservation and the 

 protection of bird life are intimately 

 associated with the conservation of 

 natural resources. We therefore 

 favor the creation of extensive game 

 preserves, and special protection for 

 such birds as are useful to agricul- 

 ture." 



The Lizard Canary is not a strong 

 favorite. Its characteristic plum- 

 mage disappears with the second 

 moult. 



When the young canaries are eight 

 days old, a clean nest will add great- 

 ly to their welfare. See that it is 

 provided. 



Don't forget that bundles of wild 

 plants, "just as the seeds form" are 

 most acceptable to your birds. 



