Correspondence. 263 



By the way, Mr. Mathias is also a specialist grower of 

 Border, Malmaison, and American Tree Carnations, and Hon. 

 Sec. of the Perpetual Flowering- Carnation Society; also a 

 most successful exhibitor of Border Carnations, and those 

 interested in these most delightful flowers would do well to 

 send for his autumn catalogue. Birds and flowers form a 

 charming dual hobby. 



REn-NATED IjOiukeet^: Just on going to press, we 

 much regret to learn that the nestling referred to on page 

 259, were found dead in nest when about a month old. We 

 sympathize with Miss Drumniond, in her keen disappointment, 

 and hope that complete success may attend the birds' next 

 attempt. 



Correspondence. 



INCUBATION PERIOD (QUAILS). 



SiRj — 111 some notes i sent you re the nesting- 'oF the 

 White -cheeked Crested Quail {Eupsychartyx leucopogon) I said that 

 the period of incubation -was nearly, if not quite, four weeks', 

 but that I should be glad to have further corresppndence, foe 

 cause I diu not think it had been sugg-ested that the incubation 

 period in the case of Quails was ,as a rule longer than 21 days'. 

 1 have just received an interesting letter from our member Mr. 

 W. Shor.! Bailey, in which he tells me that a pair of this species 

 in his aviary this summer hatched in 26 days. 



W. E. TESCHEMAKER. 



AVICULTURAL PUZZLES. 



SiK, — Thjere are some things (aviculturalj rather difficult to 

 give a reason for, as you know my aviaries are roomy and iiatiu-al, 

 yet breeding results are almost nil, and this is where the puzzle 

 comes in. As stated, two of the aviaries are roomy and natural 

 (see plioto of one of them in Vol. I., N.S., Dec. issue), birds 

 are true pairs, and to all appearance as fit and vig-orous as 

 irossible, yet they do not breed ! They get a g-ood variety ibf 

 seeds, soft food, and capture many small flies, etc., on the wing. 

 I will quote an instance: though disturbed (during' incubation by 

 Yellow-rumpcd and Magpie Mannikins, the St. Helena Waxbills 

 successfully hatched three out of four eggs on August 20, b'Ujt, 

 the young only lived two days; this is the seoond brood they 



